Why Aren’t Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs Playing in the Scottish Premiership This Weekend?
Why are Rangers not playing this weekend? They are playing, just not in the Scottish Premiership. The same applies to Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs, whose cup commitments have prompted three Scottish Premiership fixtures postponed for 31 October. Rather than an international break or a cancellation, supporters are getting two sizeable semi-finals and a shorter league programme.
Which Scottish Premiership Fixtures Have Been Postponed?
Three scheduled league matches have been removed from the weekend calendar. Two already have replacement dates, so fans can plan beyond Hampden.
| Postponed league fixture | New date |
|---|---|
| Rangers v Aberdeen | Tue 24 Nov, 20:00 |
| Hibernian v Dundee | Tue 24 Nov, 19:45 |
| Dundee United v Hearts | To be confirmed |
For anyone asking why are Hearts not playing, Tannadice is the answer: their trip to Dundee United has been displaced by Sunday’s Edinburgh derby. Why are Hibs not playing Dundee? Exactly the same cup scheduling clash. These are postponements, not forfeits; the league matches still count when rearranged. Dundee and Dundee United also miss a league outing despite neither club appearing at Hampden.
Where Are Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs Playing Instead?
All four clubs are heading for Barclays Hampden in Glasgow, with a place in the Premier Sports Cup final on 13 December at stake.
| Cup semi-final | UK kick-off | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|
| Rangers v Aberdeen, Sat 31 Oct | 17:30 | Premier Sports |
| Hearts v Hibernian, Sun 1 Nov | 15:00 | Premier Sports |
Rangers reached the last four by beating Celtic 3-0, while Aberdeen edged Kilmarnock on penalties. Hearts and Hibs make this an unusually partisan weekend, with the Edinburgh rivals meeting in this competition’s semi-finals for the first time.
The league calendar has put on its best black suit and stepped aside. Hampden takes the spotlight: one Glasgow fixture with old grudges, followed by Edinburgh’s sharpest rivalry in a setting that rarely does anything quietly. SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster called it “an exciting weekend of football”. For once, the promotional language feels appropriately restrained.
Which Scottish Premiership Matches Are Still Going Ahead?
There is league football to follow, even with four familiar names missing from the fixture list.
| Date | Premiership match | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 31 Oct | Kilmarnock v St Johnstone | 15:00 |
| Sat 31 Oct | Motherwell v St Mirren | 15:00 |
| Sun 1 Nov | Falkirk v Celtic | 13:00 |
Those three games are the remaining scheduled Premiership fixtures. Celtic’s visit to Falkirk gives Sunday an early league headline before Hearts and Hibs take over Hampden at three.
Premier Sports Cup Semi-Final Odds and Betting Options
The fixture disruption changes the competition, not the opportunity to examine a market. Compare the 90-minute result with a goals combination before settling on a selection.
These are indicative pre-match prices, not a guaranteed quote from the linked operator. Check the current market through BetVictor and compare other options in our football odds guide.
Verdict: A Weekend Rewritten, Not Cancelled
Rangers and Aberdeen have swapped a league meeting for a knockout clash, while Hearts and Hibs bring derby fever to Hampden. The rearranged dates matter for the table, but one bad afternoon now ends a cup run.
For bettors, the sensible route is to separate cup qualification from a 90-minute winner and check prices after team news arrives. If the available odds do not reward your reading of the match, the three surviving Premiership fixtures offer other angles without forcing an accumulator.
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