2017–18 Scottish Challenge Cup

The 2017–18 Scottish Challenge Cup, known as the IRN-BRU Cup due to sponsorship reasons, is the 27th season of the competition. The tournament took on a similar format from the previous season, however, two teams from the Republic of Ireland's Airtricity League (Sligo Rovers and Bray Wanderers) entered the competition for the first time taking the total number of participating clubs to 56. This was the second season with two clubs from both Northern Ireland and Wales competing alongside the 30 members of the 2017–18 Scottish Championship, 2017–18 Scottish League One and 2017–18 Scottish League Two, four teams from the 2017–18 Highland Football League and four from the 2017–18 Lowland Football League as well as the Under-20 teams of the teams competing in the 2017–18 Scottish Premiership. The Welsh teams were The New Saints and Connah's Quay Nomads while the Northern Irish teams were Crusaders and Linfield.

Dundee United were the defending champions after they beat St Mirren 2–1 in the 2017 final, but were eliminated in the Quarter-finals by Crusaders.

Irn Bru replaced Petrofac as the main sponsor of the competition in June 2016.

The draw for the first round was made at 1 pm on 27 June 2017 at the Summerlee Industrial Museum in Coatbridge and was streamed live on the SPFL's Facebook page. The draw was regionalised into northern and southern sections with each section containing 14 SPFL clubs, four Highland Football League or Lowland Football League clubs and six U20s teams with any team able to face any other within their section.

Teams in Bold advanced to the second round.

1. Alloa Athletic

2. Arbroath

3. Brechin City

4. Cowdenbeath

5. Dundee United

6. Dunfermline Athletic

7. East Fife

8. Elgin City

9. Forfar Athletic

10. Montrose

11. Peterhead

12. Raith Rovers

13. Stenhousemuir

14. Stirling Albion

15. Aberdeen U20s

16. Dundee U20s

17. Heart of Midlothian U20s

18. Hibernian U20s

19. Ross County U20s

20. St Johnstone U20s

21. Brora Rangers

22. Buckie Thistle

23. Cove Rangers

24. Formartine United | 01. Alloa Athletic

25. Arbroath

26. Brechin City

27. Cowdenbeath

28. Dundee United

29. Dunfermline Athletic | 07. East Fife

30. Elgin City

31. Forfar Athletic

32. Montrose

33. Peterhead

34. Raith Rovers | 13. Stenhousemuir

35. Stirling Albion

36. Aberdeen U20s

37. Dundee U20s

38. Heart of Midlothian U20s

39. Hibernian U20s | 19. Ross County U20s

40. St Johnstone U20s

41. Brora Rangers

42. Buckie Thistle

43. Cove Rangers

44. Formartine United | | 01. Alloa Athletic

45. Arbroath

46. Brechin City

47. Cowdenbeath

48. Dundee United

49. Dunfermline Athletic | 07. East Fife

50. Elgin City

51. Forfar Athletic

52. Montrose

53. Peterhead

54. Raith Rovers | 13. Stenhousemuir

55. Stirling Albion

56. Aberdeen U20s

57. Dundee U20s

58. Heart of Midlothian U20s

59. Hibernian U20s | 19. Ross County U20s

60. St Johnstone U20s

61. Brora Rangers

62. Buckie Thistle

63. Cove Rangers

64. Formartine United | |

Teams in Bold advanced to the second round.

26. Albion Rovers

27. Annan Athletic

28. Berwick Rangers

29. Ayr United

30. Clyde

31. Dumbarton

32. Edinburgh City

33. Livingston

34. Greenock Morton

35. Queen of the South

36. Queen's Park

37. St Mirren

38. Stranraer

39. Celtic U20s

40. Hamilton Academical U20s

41. Kilmarnock U20s

42. Motherwell U20s

43. Partick Thistle U20s

44. Rangers U20s

45. East Kilbride

46. East Stirlingshire

47. Spartans

48. Stirling University | 25. Airdrieonians

49. Albion Rovers

50. Annan Athletic

51. Berwick Rangers

52. Ayr United

53. Clyde | 31. Dumbarton

54. Edinburgh City

55. Livingston

56. Greenock Morton

57. Queen of the South

58. Queen's Park | 37. St Mirren

59. Stranraer

60. Celtic U20s

61. Hamilton Academical U20s

62. Kilmarnock U20s

63. Motherwell U20s | 43. Partick Thistle U20s

64. Rangers U20s

65. East Kilbride

66. East Stirlingshire

67. Spartans

68. Stirling University | | 25. Airdrieonians

69. Albion Rovers

70. Annan Athletic

71. Berwick Rangers

72. Ayr United

73. Clyde | 31. Dumbarton

74. Edinburgh City

75. Livingston

76. Greenock Morton

77. Queen of the South

78. Queen's Park | 37. St Mirren

79. Stranraer

80. Celtic U20s

81. Hamilton Academical U20s

82. Kilmarnock U20s

83. Motherwell U20s | 43. Partick Thistle U20s

84. Rangers U20s

85. East Kilbride

86. East Stirlingshire

87. Spartans

88. Stirling University | |

Notes

The draw for the second round was made at 1 pm on 17 August 2017 at the Falkirk Wheel and streamed live on the SPFL's Facebook page. The draw was unseeded but the six non-Scottish teams were kept apart with one team from each country drawn at home and one away. Linfield were allocated an away tie due to the unavailability of Windsor Park so Crusaders played at home.

Teams in Italics were not known at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the third round.

2. Bray Wanderers | 03. Linfield

3. Crusaders | 05. The New Saints

4. Connah's Quay Nomads | 07. Inverness Caledonian Thistle

5. Falkirk

6. Dundee United

7. Dunfermline Athletic

8. Queen of the South

9. St Mirren

10. Dumbarton

11. Raith Rovers

12. Ayr United

13. Livingston

14. Alloa Athletic

15. Stranraer

16. Spartans

17. Peterhead

18. Annan Athletic

19. Montrose

20. Elgin City

21. Berwick Rangers | 07. Inverness Caledonian Thistle

22. Falkirk

23. Dundee United

24. Dunfermline Athletic

25. Queen of the South

26. St Mirren

27. Dumbarton

28. Raith Rovers

29. Ayr United | 16. Livingston

30. Alloa Athletic

31. Stranraer

32. Spartans

33. Peterhead

34. Annan Athletic

35. Montrose

36. Elgin City

37. Berwick Rangers | Premiership U20s

38. Ross County U20s

39. Hamilton Academical U20s

40. Motherwell U20s

41. Partick Thistle U20s

42. Aberdeen U20s

43. Heart of Midlothian U20s Highland Football League

44. Buckie Thistle

45. Cove Rangers | | 07. Inverness Caledonian Thistle

46. Falkirk

47. Dundee United

48. Dunfermline Athletic

49. Queen of the South

50. St Mirren

51. Dumbarton

52. Raith Rovers

53. Ayr United | 16. Livingston

54. Alloa Athletic

55. Stranraer

56. Spartans

57. Peterhead

58. Annan Athletic

59. Montrose

60. Elgin City

61. Berwick Rangers | | | | | |

The SPFL launched an investigation after two different methods of penalty shootout were used in the second round matches that required the tiebreaker. Montrose's 6–5 win over Ayr United used the traditional ABAB method where one team follows the other whereas The New Saints' 6–5 win over Livingston used the trial ABBA method where one team goes first before the other takes two consecutively and then the first team takes their second. SPFL rules state that the ABAB method should be used. The mix up is suspected to have come after confusion between the Irish referee and Welsh linesmen in The New Saints-Livingston match over which method was to be used. The result of the investigation is not expected to impact the result of The New Saints-Livingston tie.

The draw for the third round was made at 1 pm on 5 September 2017 at the Riverside Museum and was streamed live on the SPFL's Facebook page. The draw was unseeded and there were no longer any requirements for non-SPFL sides to be kept apart.

Teams in Bold advanced to the third round.

2. Crusaders | 03. The New Saints | 04. Inverness Caledonian Thistle

3. Falkirk

4. Dundee United

5. Dunfermline Athletic

6. Queen of the South

7. St Mirren

8. Dumbarton

9. Raith Rovers

10. Stranraer

11. Peterhead

12. Montrose

13. Elgin City | 04. Inverness Caledonian Thistle

14. Falkirk

15. Dundee United

16. Dunfermline Athletic

17. Queen of the South

18. St Mirren | 10. Dumbarton

19. Raith Rovers

20. Stranraer

21. Peterhead

22. Montrose

23. Elgin City | 16. Cove Rangers | | 04. Inverness Caledonian Thistle

24. Falkirk

25. Dundee United

26. Dunfermline Athletic

27. Queen of the South

28. St Mirren | 10. Dumbarton

29. Raith Rovers

30. Stranraer

31. Peterhead

32. Montrose

33. Elgin City | | | | |

The draw for the quarter-finals was made at 1 pm on 10 October 2017 at the Forth Road Bridge Visitor Centre and was streamed live on the SPFL's Facebook page. The draw was unseeded.

Teams in Bold advanced to the semi-finals.

4. Falkirk
5. Dundee United
6. Queen of the South
7. Dumbarton
8. Raith Rovers |

The draw for the semi-finals was made at 1pm on 14 November 2017 at the SEC Armadillo and was streamed live on the SPFL's Facebook page. The draw was unseeded.

Teams in Bold advanced to the final.

4. Dumbarton |

As of matches played on 24 March 2018

The Golden Ball Award is a 'Player of the Round' award given to the player who is adjudged to have had the best performance of that round out of all the players in teams left competing in that round of the competition. The winner is voted for by supporters from a chosen short-list of players, which is posted on the Irn-Bru Football Twitter page.

The domestic broadcasting rights for the competition are held jointly by BBC Alba, S4C (for matches involving Welsh teams) and subscription channel Premier Sports. Prior to the re-format in the 2016–17 season, BBC Alba had exclusive rights.

The following matches are to be broadcast live on UK television:

• Scottish Challenge Cup at the Scottish Professional Football League