There is real doubt over whether this season’s Scottish Cup can be completed with the two lower divisions, Highland League and Lowland Leagues having their suspension extended until February 14 at the earliest.
This weekend Celtic were due to play Falkirk or Arbroath in the third round but with Falkirk mothballed since earlier this month those two clubs won’t play their second round tie for at least three weeks.
Once the lower divisions restart the SFA will have to try and clear the backlog with the fourth-round weekend of February 20/21 already taken over by the SPFL who have brought forward their card scheduled for April 3.
This season’s Scottish Cup Final is scheduled for the second weekend in May at Hampden, if that date is to be met the bulk of the competition will have to be crammed into around two months.
The BBC Scotland website reports:
Meanwhile, Scottish Cup ties between 12 January and 1 February were to be rescheduled, with 12 second-round ties still to be concluded following postponements.
SFA president Rod Petrie said: “A number of initiatives have been suggested which may help to make the eventual return to playing efficient without compromising safety.
“The decision to extend the suspension is necessary given the Scottish Government’s own extension of existing lockdown measures. Football will play its part to support the collective effort to reduce the spread of the new variants of the virus.”
The early final date is to ensure that Hampden is in top condition for the European Championships but like much of sport there is no guarantee that the tournament will go ahead as planned with switching the tournament from 12 cities across Europe into one country an option.
With no fans likely the Scottish Cup Final could be switched to another venue and played at a later date in May but until the lower leagues resume the competition remains in doubt.
