Scottish Premiership 2026/27 Predictions: Celtic to make it six in a row? Will Hearts challenge again?
Scottish Premiership 2026/27 Predictions: The new Scottish football season is just a few days away, and we can only hope that it is as exciting as the previous campaign. Celtic broke Hearts (pun intended) to clinch their fifth league title in a row on the final day. There was drama up and down the league as well, and if the pre-season developments are anything to go by, the new season will bring more of that.
St. Johnstone earned promotion to the top-tier after winning the Championship and replaced Livingston, who finished bottom last season. St. Mirren beat Partick Thistle in the Premiership play-off which means there is only one new team in the new season, which starts July 31.
Outsiders often dismiss the Scottish Premiership as a two-horse race between Celtic and Rangers, and while it holds true, there are fascinating subplots in the league. Hearts, who finished second last time out, will be eager to show that they can challenge consistently, while Motherwell are quietly developing into a dark horse.
The usual suspects like Aberdeen and Hibernian will also hope to make some noise, and the league’s relegation battle is always something to watch out for. Now, with Dundee United set to welcome Derek McInnes’s Rangers in the opening game, Curva Global predicts how the new Premiership season will unfold.
Who will win the league title?
The answer to this question has been Celtic for the last five years. Even last season, despite the club going through three managers, including Martin O’Neill’s double interim spell, they won the title in dramatic circumstances. It does show resilience on their part, but at the same time it highlights the gulf in class and the gap others need to close.
O’Neill has been appointed on a permanent basis, and Celtic are the only club from last season’s top four to retain their manager. Stability breeds success; football cliches don’t get any simpler. Yet, the task to retain the title might not be easy for The Bhoys.
They have made only one signing—forward Camilo Duran from Qarabag. On top of this, Daizen Maeda, who essentially scored the league winner, has left for Ipswich Town, and more departures are expected. So, the question is whether Hearts and Rangers, both of whom have made strong moves in the market, can pounce on arguably weaker defending champions?
Following Dany Rohl’s departure to Red Bull Salzburg, the Ibrox club moved quickly to whisk away Derek McInnes from Hearts, having already signed their talismanic forward Lawrence Shankland. Other players have come in, and there is hope that for the first time since Steven Gerrard’s Invincibles, Gers can mount a serious title challenge.
Hearts have gone on to replace McInnes with Wouter Vrancken. The Belgian didn’t have the best of starts, falling 4-0 to Sturm Graz in the Championship qualifying first leg tie. But with Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics backing the Jambos, their fans should be able to see consistency this season.
The question now remains whether Rangers or Hearts can sustain a title challenge over the course of a ten-month campaign. Given how things appear right now, Celtic are in prime position to retain their crown, despite the challenges they face.
Premiership title: Celtic
Runner-up: Rangers
Race for Europe
The underwhelming performances of Scottish clubs in Europe over the last few years mean the Scottish Premiership has seen its spots in Europe cut down from five last season to four this term.
Only the champions will get a shot at the Champions League, and they too will enter at the second qualifying round. Second and third place in the league will be good enough qualification for the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round. Previously, a fourth-spot finish had guaranteed an entry into a European tournament proper.
As such, the European places will only go to the top three teams in the league. But the fourth spot could also translate to European football. The winners of the Scottish Cup will reach the Europa League first qualifying round, and if they also win the league, their Europa League place will go to the second-placed team, and the spots for the Conference League second qualifying round will move down one league position.
European places:
Champions League: Celtic
Europa Conference League: Rangers and Motherwell
Top six
In any other league, finishing sixth or seventh may not carry that much importance or weight. But in the Premiership, where the league splits into two halves after 33 games, being in the top or bottom seven could be the difference between fighting for a European spot or looking over their shoulders in the relegation battle.
It could also define how the season is viewed, with a place in the top six often representing progress or consolidation. There are key financial metrics to keep an eye out for also.
Finishing in the top half ensures a higher percentage of the league’s central pot. For example, 6th place typically secures roughly 7% to 8% of the top-flight pool, whereas 7th place drops noticeably.
Given the meagre financial resources available to clubs, the financial difference between finishing 6th and 7th is all the more crucial as it accounts for hundreds of thousands of pounds in direct merit payments alone per single position drop.
Top six: 1. Celtic 2. Rangers. 3. Motherwell. 4. Hearts 5. Aberdeen. 6. Hibernian.
Surprise package of the season
Last season, newly promoted Falkirk stunned everybody with their positive approach and sixth-place finish in the league. They looked happy to take on their opponents and played on the front foot, especially at home. John McGlynn was credited with bringing a refreshing style, and the task would be to remain competitive once again.
This season, we are backing Motherwell to come up with something different. They showed it last season under Jens Berthel Askou, finishing fourth, while at one point they were talked about as outsiders for the league race.
Askou left for Toulouse in the summer, and they have seen key players depart as well. But the Fir Park club is doing business differently. Instead of relying on a manager or certain players, they are creating an ecosystem, where it is clear what type of players they want and what sort of football they should play.
There will be the obvious challenge of budding in a new coach and fresh players with this philosophy, but they are making the right noises. Alfred Johansson replaced Askou and oversaw a 2-0 win at home to HB Torshavn in the second qualifying round of the Conference League. While the outcome is easy to overlook, let’s not forget the struggles of Scottish clubs in Europe and the fact that The Steelmen were the only team from the country to win in Europe last week.
Well also understand that the focus would as ever be on the Old Firm and now Hearts, given their exploits of last season. This means they could slip under the radar and get on with the job. We won’t put them in contention for the title race, but it wouldn’t surprise us to see them once again compete at the top end of the table and bloody a few big noses along the way.
Relegation
It can be argued with good reason that the relegation battle offers more drama than the title race in Scotland more often than not. With six teams locked in the bottom six and only five games left after the split, the battle to avoid the drop becomes tighter.
The side placed at the bottom is automatically relegated, but there remains a threat for teams to drop into the relegation play-off position in the 11th spot. This means there is a lot to play for right until the end of the season.
Last time out, Aberdeen did just enough to keep themselves in the clear from the dreaded playoff spot, and Kilmarnock’s late rally dragged St. Mirren into a battle for survival. We expect more of the same teams to be involved down at the bottom again.
Dundee United still look unconvincing under Jim Goodwin and will need a good start if they don’t want things to turn sour. Their rivals across the road, Dundee, are managed by the experienced Steven Pressley, and he faces the challenge of getting them to push above their weight.
Uncertainty looms over St. Mirren and Kilmarnock, with both sets of fans less than inspired with the coaching appointments. While The Buddies did well to top their group in the Premier Sports Cup, a 1-0 defeat at home to Dunfermline Athletic in the last game meant they were not seeded for the last 16 draw.
Killie, on the other hand, had an indifferent run in the group stages, winning two games narrowly and failing to score in two defeats. Falkirk, who did so well last season, will have to be wary of the second-season syndrome, and there are warning signs already. They have lost key players to transfers and crashed out in the League Cup following defeats to Ayr United and Alloa Athletic.
St. Johnstone are the newly promoted club, having done well to hold off Partick Thistle’s challenge to win the Championship last season. But Simo Valakari understands that there will be a clear gulf in class between second-tier and the top flight. With the season only a few days away, it is a little unclear what the best playing XI is for Saints.
The unforgiving nature of the league means he will have little time to figure things out in order to avoid a long season.
Relegation: St. Johnstone
Relegation playoff: Kilmarnock
READ MORE: Scottish Premiership 2026/27 Preview: 5 storylines to watch this season
