SPFL sticks with Scottish Premiership winter break for 2019/20

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Celtic lift the Scottish League CupImage source, SNS
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Celtic will be looking to retain the Scottish League Cup

The Scottish Premiership will have a winter break again next season, with the domestic programme kicking-off with the League Cup on 13 July.

Saturday 3 August has been chosen by the Scottish Professional Football League for the opening fixtures in all four divisions.

The top flight will shut down again from 30 December until 17 January.

The Premiership will end on the weekend of 16/17 May, with the play-off final on Wednesday 20 and Sunday 24 May.

Championship, League One and League Two seasons finish on Saturday 2 May, with the second legs of their play-offs on the weekend of 16/17 May.

The season will again begin with the group stage of the League Cup, in which clubs involved in European competition receive a bye into the last 16, which will again be played on a weekend.

The League Cup final is scheduled for the weekend of 7/8 December - nearly a week later than this season, when Celtic retained the trophy by beating Aberdeen.

Dates for next season's Challenge Cup will be confirmed shortly, while fixtures for the 2019/20 league season will be published in June.

SPFL key dates 2019/20

League Cup group stage: 13/14, 16/17, 20/21, 23/24, 27/28 July

Start of Premiership, Championship, League One and League Two: 3 August

League Cup second round: 17/18 August

League Cup quarter-finals: 24-26 September

League Cup semi-finals: 2/3 November

League Cup final: 7/8 December

Premiership winter break: 30 December-17 January

Championship, League One and League Two final fixtures: 2 May

League Two play-off final, first leg: 10 May

Championship and League One play-off finals: 12/13 May, 16/17 May

League Two play-off final, second leg: 16 May

Premiership final fixtures: 16/17 May

Premiership play-off final: 20 May, 24 May