Heart of Midlothian’s new head coach, Derek McInnes, will face Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline Athletic in the group stage of the 2025-26 Scottish League Cup.
The Edinburgh side have been drawn against the Pars – managed by the former Celtic and Hibernian boss – as well as Hamilton Academical, Dumbarton and Stirling Albion in the initial stage of the competition.
Hearts lost 2-0 to Championship side Falkirk in the last 16 of last season’s League Cup, which they have not lifted since the 1962-63 season.
Two Premiership teams – Kilmarnock, who have appointed Stuart Kettlewell to succeed McInnes, and newly promoted Livingston – are in Group H, alongside Kelty Hearts, East Fife and Brora Rangers.
Scott Brown’s Ayr United are in Group D with St Mirren, the only side from the top six of the 2024-25 Premiership table to be involved at this stage.
Celtic, Rangers, Hibernian, Dundee United and Aberdeen are exempt from the group phase as they are competing in Europe.
Forty teams from the Premiership down to Bonnyrigg Rose of the Lowland League, Highland League champions Brora Rangers and Highland League runners-up Brechin City were drawn into eight pools.
The matches will begin on 12/13 July with further fixtures on 15/16, 19/20, 22/23 and 26/27 July.
The team that finishes top of each pool as well as the three best runners-up progress to the last 16 on the weekend of 16/17 August, when they will be joined by the teams that are competing in Europe.
The quarter-finals will be on 20/21 September, the semi-finals on 1/2 November and the final at Hampden on Sunday, 14 December.
Celtic won last season’s League Cup, beating holders Rangers 5-4 on penalties in the final.
