Hibs won the Scottish title for the fourth time last season Champions Hibernian will start the defence of their Scottish Women's Premier League title at home to Aberdeen on Sunday, 17 August. The top flight reverts to 10 teams for this season, changing from a 12-team league. Last season's runners-up Glasgow City are at home to Motherwell, while Rangers - who were pipped to the title on the final day of the season and are seeking a new head coach after Jo Potter's switch to Crystal Palace - travel to Montrose, who avoided relegation on the final day of the season. Celtic, who were league winners in season 2023-24 but finished fourth last term, are away to Heart of Midlothian, who were fifth. SWPL2 champions Hamilton Academical host Partick Thistle. Thistle have appointed David Elliott as head coach after Brian Graham left following almost five years in the role. Accies will be playing their home games at New Douglas Park despite Hamilton Academical's men moving to Cumbernauld amid a dispute with the stadium owner. All five opening SWPL1 fixtures will be played on 17 August, with kick-off times still to be determined after discussions with television partners, including BBC Scotland and BBC Alba. After 18 fixtures, the SWPL will split into a top six and a bottom four, with the clubs playing each other twice, once at home, once away. The side finishing 10th will be relegated to SWPL2, while the side finishing ninth will take part in a one-off play-off final against the side coming through promotion play-offs in the second tier. Due to Hibs and Glasgow's Champions League commitments, their meeting scheduled for 31 August will be moved to 1 October. There is a derby extravaganza on Sunday, 7 September, with the first Old Firm, Edinburgh and Lanarkshire meetings of the season. Celtic face Rangers at New Douglas Park, Motherwell take on Hamilton, albeit at K-Park in East Kilbride, and it is also Hearts against Hibs. There will be a winter break, with the final fixtures of 2025 on Sunday, 21 December and action resuming on Sunday, 18 January.
Champions Hibs to open SWPL season against Aberdeen
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Hibernian to Begin SWPL Title Defense Against Aberdeen on August 17"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Hibernian, the reigning champions of the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL), will kick off their title defense on Sunday, August 17, against Aberdeen at home. This season marks a change in the league structure, reverting to a 10-team format from the previous 12-team arrangement. The first round of fixtures will see other prominent teams in action, with last season's runners-up Glasgow City hosting Motherwell, and Rangers, who narrowly missed out on the title last season, visiting Montrose. Montrose managed to avoid relegation on the final day of the previous season, while Celtic, who won the league in the 2023-24 season but finished fourth last year, will be playing away against Heart of Midlothian, who secured fifth place. Additionally, Hamilton Academical, the champions of SWPL2, will be hosting Partick Thistle, who have appointed David Elliott as their new head coach following Brian Graham's departure after nearly five years in charge.
The SWPL season will feature all five opening fixtures on August 17, with specific kick-off times still to be finalized in collaboration with broadcast partners like BBC Scotland and BBC Alba. After the initial 18 matches, the league will implement a split format, dividing the teams into a top six and a bottom four, allowing each team to play against one another twice, once at home and once away. The team finishing in the 10th position will face relegation to SWPL2, while the ninth-placed team will enter a play-off against the second-tier promotion play-off winner. Notably, due to commitments in the Champions League, the match between Hibs and Glasgow City, originally scheduled for August 31, has been postponed to October 1. A series of derbies, including the Old Firm and Edinburgh clashes, is set for September 7, while the league will observe a winter break, with the last fixtures of 2025 scheduled for December 21 and resuming on January 18 of the following year.
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