Scottish Challenge Cup
The Scottish Professional Football League Challenge Cup, commonly known as the Scottish League Challenge Cup or Scottish Challenge Cup, and currently known as the SPFL Trust Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an association football knock-out cup competition run by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL). It is recognised as the third most prestigious knockout trophy in Scottish football, after the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup.
| Founded | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 53 (2022–23) |
| Current champions | Hamilton Academical (3rd title) |
| Most successful club(s) | Falkirk (4 titles) |
| Television broadcasters | BBC Alba Premier Sports S4C (involving Welsh clubs) |
| 2023–24 Scottish Challenge Cup | |
The competition was first held during the 1990–91 season as the B&Q Centenary Cup to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Scottish Football League (SFL). It was intended to be a one-off competition but was continued due to its popularity. It was originally contested by SFL (SPFL since 2013) teams below the top level of the Scottish football league system; select teams from lower levels of the league system were added in 2011–12, and guest teams from outside Scotland in 2016–17. For the 2019–20 edition there were 58 teams: 30 from the SPFL; the twelve Under-21 teams of the Scottish Premiership clubs; four each from the Highland League and Lowland League; and two guest teams from each of the NIFL Premiership, Cymru Premier, English National League, and League of Ireland Premier Division up until the 2019–20 season.
The first winner of the tournament was Dundee, who defeated Ayr United. Falkirk are the most successful team in the tournament with four wins, most recently in 2012. The current holders are Hamilton Academical, who defeated Raith Rovers in the 2023 final.