The Scottish Women's Football League Cup, previously known as the Scottish Women's League Cup and Scottish Women's Football League First Division Cup, is a Scottish women's football competition founded in 1972. It is open only to teams in the Scottish Women's Football League (SWFL). It was the top-level league cup until 2002.
The SWFL Cup is played at present as the ScottishPower Regional League Cup, the league cup of level 5 clubs in the SWFL, now a standalone amateur league tier. Teams at levels 1 and 2 now play for the SWPL Cup and levels 3 and 4 play for the SWF Championship and League One Cup, following a reorganisation of the system in 2019.Scottish Women’s Football announces new league structure, SheKicks.net, 20 September 2019
Background The trophy started out as the Scottish Women's League Cup. The competition began in the 1972–73 season along with the foundation of the Scottish Women's League.SFA women’s chief says hails good times for Scots Edinburgh News. 18-10-2013. Retrieved 03-03-2015. Westthorn United won the first edition of the competition, as part of a treble along with the Scottish Women's League and Scottish Women's Cup.
High street store Sports Connection became the first official sponsor of the Scottish Women's League and Scottish Women's League Cup in 1997.Sports Connection to sponsor Scottish Women's Football League SFA. 11-12-1997. Retrieved 06-03-2013. Premier Division clubs broke away to form a new top division, the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL), before the 2002–03 season. The Scottish Women's Premier League Cup, a competition only open to SWPL teams was also introduced. With the top division in Scotland now having its own exclusive League Cup competition, the existing competition became the equivalent to the men's Scottish Challenge Cup, only open to lower league clubs.
In 2012, Scottish Women's Football launched separate cup competitions for its First and Second Division teams,Scottish Women's Football League 2nd Division Cup SFA / SWF. Retrieved 03-03-2015. and the top trophy became exclusively for teams in the First Division, the national second league tier (which became the third tier in 2016, below SWPL 2). From 2009, women's football in Scotland adopted a summer season running from March to November each year.
Following the 2019 reorganisation, the SWFL First and Second Divisions ceased to exist as they had. A new equivalent knockout tournament for the new Championship, the SWF Championship Cup, was introduced. The older trophy became the Scottish Women's Football League Cup, open to clubs playing at that 'Recreational' level.2021 SWFL fixtures announced & SWFL Cup 1st Round Draw, Scottish Women's Football, 20 May 2021 The 2021 competition was played as a straight knockout cup, won by Bishopton, but the 2022 cup had a group phase. From this, the top teams qualified for the knockout stage, while eliminated clubs competed for the SWFL Plate.
SWFL Second Division Cup The Scottish Women's Football League Second Division Cup was played from 2012 to 2019, and was only open to teams in the four groups of the Scottish Women's Football League Second Division (Central, East, North and West). Representing level 3 (2012–2015) and then level 4 (2016–2019), it was the league cup for the lowest tier at that time in the women's football league system.
The tournament consisted of six rounds, including the final. All matches were played over only one leg. With between 40 and 50 teams entering, only some teams took part in the first round. The winners met the remainder in the second round, a standard last-32 knockout.
The league reconstruction in 2020 introduced a new SWF Championship division (and cup), along similar lines to the SWFL First Division, while the teams below formed a standalone 'Recreational' setup, continuing the SWFL name and the format of regional groups. The First Division Cup again became the SWFL League Cup, but with no second tier below the new SWFL groups, the Second Division Cup was discontinued.
ScottishPower became title sponsor of the SWFL Cup and Plate in 2024, along with the Championship and League One Cup and the Highlands and Islands League Cup.
List of winners The Scottish Women's League Cup competition began in season 1972–73.
1972 to 2002 From 1972 to 2002, the cup was a competition open to all league clubs.
Note: Details incomplete Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref 1972 Westthorn United Dundee Strikers 16–0 1976–77 Edinburgh Dynamos Westthorn United 1977–78 Edinburgh Dynamos Vale of Clyde 5–2 1981–82 Whitehill 1982–83 Whitehill Wishaw 4–3 Wishaw beaten in cup final thriller, Wishaw Press, 19 November 1982, via British Newspaper Archive 1983–84 1984–85 Wishaw 1990–91 Inveralmond Ladies Dundee United 4–2 Women's football Herald Scotland. 04-11-1991. Retrieved 03-03-2015. 1991–92 Inveralmond Ladies Aberdeen 3–1 Deadly duo strike again, Dundee Courier, 4 November 1991, via British Newspaper Archive 1992–93 Hutchison Vale Clyde 3–2 1993–94 Clyde Cumbernauld Ladies 6–1 Morrison is Bon Accord boss, Press and Journal, 11 November 1993, via British Newspaper Archive 1994–95 Hutchison Vale Cumbernauld Ladies 3–1 Football Results, Press and Journal, 26 October 1994, via British Newspaper Archive 1995–96 Cove Rangers Giuliano's 4–0 Cove win League Cup, Aberdeen Evening Express, 2 December 1995, via British Newspaper Archive 1996–97 Cumbernauld United Clyde 6–0 Women's Football, Aberdeen Evening Express, 12 November 1996, via British Newspaper Archive Cumber-mauled Daily Record. 15-12-1997. Retrieved 05-03-2013. 1997–98 Cumbernauld United Clyde 6–1 Clyde trapped in a Vallé of despair in final action replay, John Colquhoun, Scotland on Sunday, 14 December 1997, via British Newspaper Archive 1998–99 Cumbernauld United Clyde 5–0 Football: Hamill is hero at the double; Cumbernauld Utd 5 Clyde 0 The Mirror. 30-11-1998. Retrieved 18-11-2012. 1999–00 Cumbernauld United or Aberdeen 2000–01 Cumbernauld United Aberdeen 3–1 Note: Cumbernauld were league champions the previous season, not in 2000–01 2001–02 Kilmarnock Ayr United 2–0 Scotland (Women) Cup 2001/02 RSSSF. Retrieved 23-11-2012.
2002 to 2011 From 2002 to 2011, the cup was open to all league clubs below the Premier League, i.e. in the SWFL First Division, Second Division and (initially) Third Division. Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref 2002–03 2003–04 Clyde Aberdeen 4–0 2004–05 Forfar Farmington Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2–1 a.e.t. 2005–06 Lochee United Arthurlie 4–2 2006–07 Inverness Vale of Clyde 3–0 2007–08 Dundee United Dalkeith 6–0 Dundee United v Dalkeith Scottish Women's Football League Cup Final - Sunday 9th. December 2007, Spartans FC Women 2008–09 Glasgow City Reserves Celtic Reserves 3–0 City Girls lift SWFL League Cup, Glasgow City FC, 15 November 2008 2009 Celtic Reserves Spartans Reserves 4–0 2010 Celtic Reserves Hibernian 2000 2–0 2011 Aberdeen Toryglen 2–1
2012 to 2019 Scottish Women's Football League First Division Cup: Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref 2012 Queen's Park Paisley Saints 0–0 (3–2 pen) 2013 Inverness City Dunfermilne Athletic 6–0 2014 Hearts Dunfermline Athletic 3–1 2015 Jeanfield Swifts Hibernian Development 3–02016 Hibernian Development East Fife 2–12017Cumbernauld ColtsCeltic Academy 1–0 2018 Celtic Academy Hibernian Under 23's 1–0 2019 Celtic Academy Renfrew 6–0
Scottish Women's Football League Second Division Cup:
Season Winner Runner UpResultVenueRef 1992–93 Stewarton Thistle Meadow Athletic 4–2 2012 Hearts Aberdeen Reserves 6–1 Recreation Park, Alloa2012Scottish Women's Football League 2nd Division Cup Final 2013 Hibernian Development Viewfield Rovers 5–02013 Scottish Women's Football League 2nd Division Cup Final 2014 Renfrew Hamilton Caledonian 9–3 Ainslie Park, Edinburgh 2015 Motherwell Rangers Reserves 6–2 Ainslie Park, Edinburgh 2016 Dundee United Dunfermline Development 9–0 Ainslie Park, EdinburghDUWFC LEAGUE CUP WIN – SWFL2, Dundee United F.C., 24 June 2016 2017 Blackburn United Bayside 3–2 a.e.t. Ainslie Park, EdinburghSWFL2 League Cup Highlights, SheKicks.net, 9 June 2017 2018 Kelty Hearts Spartans Development 2–0 Ainslie Park, Edinburgh Kelty Hearts capture SWFL2Cup, SheKicks.net, 1 June 2018 2019 Morton Girls Dryburgh Athletic 3–2 a.e.t. Ainslie Park, EdinburghScottish Football Almanac 2020/21, The Essential Guide to Scottish Football 7th EditionSWFL2Cup: Morton net dramatic late stoppage-time winner, SheKicks.net, 1 June 2019
2020–present Since 2020, the cup has been a competition for all SWFL clubs. The previous two tiers were merged into one (below the SWF Championship). The 2020 competition was not completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SWFL Plate was introduced in 2021 for clubs knocked out in the SWFL Cup group phase.
Scottish Women's Football League Cup:
Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref 2021 Bishopton Bayside 4–0 2022 Harmony Row Linlithgow Rose 3–2 2023–24 Glenrothes Strollers McDermid Ladies 2–1 2024-25 Edinburgh University Thistle Cumbernauld Colts 6-1 2025-26 Bishopton Huntly 10-1
Scottish Women's Football League Plate:
Season Winner Runner Up Result Ref 2021 Murieston Ayr United Development 1–0 2022 Motherwell Development East Fife Development 0–0 a.e.t. (3–1 pen) 2023–24 Linlithgow Rose Musselburgh Windsor 6–4 2024-25 Cumbernauld United Grampian Ladies 5-0 2025-26 Alloa Athletic Penicuik Athletic 4-0 }
See also Scottish Women's Cup Scottish Women's Premier League Cup SWF Championship Cup
References
External links Football League Cup at Scottish FA Scotland (Women) – List of Cup Winners at RSSSF