The 2026 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the KDM Evolution Trophy final for sponsorship reasons, was the final match of the 2025–26 Scottish Challenge Cup. It was contested between Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers and Scottish League One side Inverness Caledonian Thistle.[1] It was the 33rd final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the now defunct Scottish Football League, and the eleventh since the SPFL was formed. The final was played at Firhill Stadium on Easter Sunday.[2] This match was a repeat of the scheduled 2020 Scottish Challenge Cup final which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic which resulted in the trophy being shared by the two teams. With both sides having won three trophies each previously, the winners of the final joined Falkirk as the joint record title winners.
| Event | 2025–26 Scottish Challenge Cup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Date | 5 April 2026 | ||||||
| Venue | Firhill Stadium, Glasgow | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Innes Cameron | ||||||
| Referee | Ryan Lee | ||||||
| Attendance | 4,812 | ||||||
Route to the final
editRaith Rovers
edit| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Second round | Hamilton Academical (h) | 5–2 |
| Third round | Queen of the South (h) | 1–0 |
| Quarter-final | Queen's Park (a) | 1–1 (aet)
3–1 (p) |
| Semi-final | Airdrieonians (a) | 1–1 (aet)
5–3 (p) |
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
edit| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| League Phase | Elgin City (a) | 4–1 |
| League Phase | Aberdeen B (h) | 4–1 |
| League Phase | Stirling Albion (h) | 2–1 |
| League Phase | Dundee B (h) | 6–0 |
| League Phase | Forfar Athletic (a) | 4–1 |
| League Phase | Dundee United B (h) | 6–0 |
| Second round | Dumbarton (a) | 9–0 |
| Third round | Partick Thistle (a) | 3–3
4–2 (p) |
| Quarter Finals | Stenhousemuir (h) | 1–0 |
| Semi Finals | Ayr United (a) | 2–1 |
Match
edit
References
edit- ↑ "KDM Evolution Trophy Final ticket info | SPFL". spfl.co.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ↑ "KDM Evolution Trophy Final 2025/26 | SPFL". spfl.co.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ↑ "BBC ALBA - SPFL Challenge Cup, 2025/26 Season, Final - Raith Rovers v Inverness Caledonian Thistle". BBC. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "Raith Rovers vs. Inverness Caledonian Thistle - 5 April 2026". Soccerway. 5 April 2026. Retrieved 5 April 2026.