Champions Hibernian Start Title Defense

Champions Hibernian are set to begin their defense of the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) title as they host Aberdeen on Sunday, 17 August. This match marks the opening of the 2025 SWPL season, which sees the league revert to a 10-team format, down from 12 teams last season.

Key Matches to Watch

In other opening fixtures, runners-up Glasgow City will face Motherwell at home, while Rangers, who narrowly missed the title last season, travel to Montrose. Celtic, the 2023-24 league winners, will be away to Heart of Midlothian. SWPL2 champions Hamilton Academical will entertain Partick Thistle in what promises to be a competitive start to the season.

League Structure and Schedule

After 18 fixtures, the SWPL will split into a top six and a bottom four, with each team playing twice against their respective group members. The team finishing 10th will be relegated to SWPL2, while the ninth-placed team will enter a playoff against a second-tier promotion contender.

Notable Changes and Derbies

Due to Champions League commitments, the highly anticipated match between Hibernian and Glasgow City, originally scheduled for 31 August, has been moved to 1 October. The season will also feature key derbies, including the first Old Firm, Edinburgh, and Lanarkshire derbies on 7 September.

Winter Break and Resumption

The league will observe a winter break, with the final fixtures of 2025 taking place on 21 December. Action will resume on 18 January 2026, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the season.

Opening Weekend Fixtures

• Glasgow City v Motherwell
• Hamilton Academical v Partick Thistle
• Heart of Midlothian v Celtic
• Hibernian v Aberdeen
• Montrose v Rangers

Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth coverage of the SWPL season on BBC Sport.