Scottish Women’s Football has announced Scottish Women’s Premier League 1 and 2, as well as the Championship leagues, will restart on October 18.
The news is a boost for Aberdeen Women, who had played one game of their SWPL2 return when coronavirus shut down football on March 13. The original 2020 season has been declared null and void, and the leagues will now play a 2020/21 season following the traditional winter format.
SWF says “engagement is ongoing” over sticking to a winter season long term.
A statement said: “The Scottish Building Society SWPL and Championship clubs will begin their league campaigns on Sunday 18th October, with all leagues concluding by 2nd May 2021.
“This ensures we are able to nominate Scotland’s representatives to UEFA for the Champions League season 2021/22.
“A condensed League Cup competition will take place in May/June.
“We appreciate the unprecedented circumstances we are currently operating in and note the possibility of further disruption to the calendar, regionally and nationally, should restrictions be re-imposed as a result of Covid-19.
“The dates reserved for the League Cup competition will therefore be utilised to conclude the league competitions should this be necessary.
“Restrictions within the calendar, and the desire to build in contingencies, mean that there will not be a Scottish Cup competition in the 2020/2021 season.
“Our club survey concluded, by significant majority, that the preference in the circumstances was to deliver the league cup competition for the 2020/2021 season, where the format guaranteed more games against opposition of a similar calibre.
“Full fixture calendars will be released on Friday 21st August.”