Ross County will kick off the new Premiership season with a tasty trip to Tynecastle to face Hearts on July 30.
The Gorgie club finished clear third in the Premiership last season, while the impressive Dingwall side, who finished sixth last year, just missed out on a European spot by five points.
However, having been winless in their first 10 outings, Malky Mackay’s team were fearless for much of the campaign, backed especially by strong form at the Global Energy Stadium.
County drew three times with Hearts last season and their only defeat against them was a 2-1 loss in Edinburgh on Boxing Day.
Their first home game of the campaign is against champions Celtic on August 6, one week before they travel to St Mirren.
Derek McInnes’ Kilmarnock at home and taking on Rangers at Ibrox makes up the remainder of August, while their first clash with Aberdeen will be on September 3 in Dingwall.
Overall, County face the top three sides within their first five games.
World Cup means early winter break
Due to the World Cup in Qatar, there is an early Premiership break between November 13 and December 17.
On Christmas Eve, Rangers are the visitors to Dingwall and 2022 finishes with a December 28 trip to Dundee United.
📅𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮/𝟮𝟯 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀
🚌 We start the season with a trip to Hearts
🔝 Last seasons Top 3 in first 5 matches
🏆 World Cup Winter Break 13/11-17/12
🎅 Rangers at Home on Christmas Eve— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) June 17, 2022
On January 2, County are away to Aberdeen then they host Livingston five days later.
Their last post-split match is on April 22 when they finish where they started, with a trip to tackle Hearts in Edinburgh.
County have lost the league’s joint top scorer Regan Charles-Cook to Belgian side, whose 13 goals last term earned him a move to top flight Belgian outfit KAS Eupen.
Tricky winger Joseph Hungbo has returned his parent club Watford after a dazzling time in the north, while Blair Spittal has moved to Motherwell.
However, Mackay has held on to key men such as Jordan White, Ross Callachan, Connor Randall, Jordan White and Jordan Tillson.
With their pre-season taking them to Verona, Italy, from next weekend, Mackay is sure to install new faces ahead of the league kick-off.
Owen Coyle’s Spiders first up for ICT
In the Championship, Caley Thistle will kick off at home on July 30 to newly-promoted Queen’s Park, who are managed by ex-Ross County boss Owen Coyle.
The following week, they hit the road to Arbroath just before hosting League 1 champions Cove Rangers, who this week appointed another former Staggies manager, Jim McIntyre, following Paul Hartley taking over at Hartlepool.
Billy Dodds’ Highlanders, who were pipped in the Premiership play-off final by St Johnstone last month, finished third in the second tier behind Kilmarnock and Arbroath last term.
With Dundee dropping down from the Premiership, Inverness will be considered main title contenders as they aim to get out of the Championship after being there since 2017.
Inverness will first take on Dundee, now bossed by Gary Bowyer, on September 17 at Dens Park, and first host the Dark Blues on December 3.
Other dates of note for ICT fans are a Christmas Eve trip to Partick Thistle, followed by a January 2 home clash with Cove Rangers.
The last two fixtures for the Caley Jags are at away to Hamilton on April 29 and home to Ayr United on Friday, May 5.
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