This forthcoming season will (yet again) see a mammoth change to football at our level, as all parties continue to seek a workable model within the Scottish Football Pyramid system.
This season, the incentive is huge for clubs competing in the WOSFL Premier Division (as well as the leagues below). For season 2026-27, the Scottish Lowland Football League will be split into two geographical divisions of 16 SFA licenced clubs at the same level as the Scottish Highland Football League at tier 5; the Lowland League (West) and the Lowland League (East).
The Lowland League for season 2025-26 contains 16 member clubs, and those member clubs will separate next summer into two geographical divisions.
The two Colt teams (Celtic B and Hearts B) are currently guest teams in the Lowland League, and are not considered members. Hearts have already said they do not plan on being involved next season; Celtic informed the Lowland League in March of their intention to take part next season, and despite news reports recently to the contrary their involvement next season was confirmed by the Lowland League Chairman Thomas Brown on Monday 20th April.
SCOTTISH LOWLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE (WEST)
For season 2026-27, the Scottish Lowland Football League (West) will contain 16 SFA licenced club, and 1 guest club. Those 17 clubs will consist of:
- any west-based SPFL clubs relegated at the end of the season
- all current west-based Lowland League clubs
- the top two SFA licenced clubs from the South of Scotland Football League
- the remainder of the 16 clubs will come from the top SFA licenced clubs in the West of Scotland Football League
- Celtic B team, as a “Colt team” they take part as a guest club
Following Dumbarton’s win on Saturday 11th April, Edinburgh City are now confirmed as “club 42” in the SPFL, so we will now not see a west-based club relegated into the Lowland League (West). This means we are guaranteed a minimum of 9 clubs to be promoted from the WOSFL Premier Division.
The possibility of a potential 10th and final promotion spot was extinguished on Saturday 18th April, with Linlithgow Rose winning the Lowland League and therefore denying Clydebank a promotion spot.
With season 2026-27 now on the horizon, the new Lowland League West will look like this:
SFA LICENCED CLUBS
A major criteria for the new Lowland League (West) at tier 5 of the Scottish Football Pyramid is that all participating clubs are in possession of an SFA Entry Level License. At the start of season 2025-26, the WOSFL Premier Division boasted 7 SFA Licensed clubs, who would also compete in the Scottish Cup.
However, 8 of the remaining 9 teams submitted their applications to the Scottish FA before the August deadline. As of 30th March, five teams had been successfully referred to the Scottish FA Board for approval, with a 6th hoping to be added to that list following compliance from their audit.
CURRENTLY LICENSED CLUBS:
- Auchinleck Talbot
- Cumnock
- Glenafton Athletic
- Kilwinning Rangers
- Pollok
- Rutherglen Glencairn
- St. Cadoc’s
CLUBS REFERRED TO THE SCOTTISH FA BOARD FOR APPROVAL:
- Beith Juniors
- Drumchapel United
- Johnstone Burgh
- Largs Thistle
- Renfrew
- Troon F.C.
UNLICENSED CLUBS:
- Arthurlie
- Hurlford United
- Shotts Bon Accord
SCOTTISH LOWLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE (EAST)
The remaining 11 current teams in the SLFL are based outside of the agreed geographical boundary for the new LLW, so would move to LLE for season 2026-27.
- Berwick Rangers
- Bo’ness United
- Bonnyrigg Rose
- Broxburn Athletic
- Civil Service Strollers
- Cowdenbeath
- East Stirlingshire
- Gala Fairydean Rovers
- Linlithgow Rose (if they fail to win the SPFL Play-Off match)
- Tranent
- University of Stirling
Linlithgow will enter the SPFL Play-Off match against the Highland League winners Brora Rangers, the winner of which will then play-off against Edinburgh City to gain promotion to the SPFL League Two.
The remaining places in the new league will be occupied by the top SFA Licenced clubs from the East of Scotland Football Association and the top clubs from the Midlands Football League. Again, this number could change slightly depending on promotion to the SPFL from the Lowland League & relegation to the Lowland League.
With season 2026-27 now on the horizon, the new Lowland League East will look like this:
| CLUB | 2025-26 LEAGUE | |
| 1 | Berwick Rangers | Lowland League |
| 2 | Bo’ness United | Lowland League |
| 3 | Bonnyrigg Rose | Lowland League |
| 4 | Brechin City | Highland Football League |
| 5 | Broxburn Athletic | Lowland League |
| 6 | Civil Service Strollers | Lowland League |
| 7 | Cowdenbeath | Lowland League |
| 8 | Dunipace | East of Scotland Football League |
| 9 | East Stirlingshire | Lowland League |
| 10 | Gala Fairydean Rovers | Lowland League |
| 11 | Hill of Beath Hawthorn | East of Scotland Football League |
| 12 | Linlithgow Rose | Lowland League |
| 13 | Lochee United | Midlands Football League |
| 14 | Musselburgh Athletic | East of Scotland Football League |
| 15 | Tranent | Lowland League |
| 16 | University of Stirling | Lowland League |
WEST OF SCOTLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The WOSFL structure will remain for next season, and so there will be a mass promotion in those leagues as well.
The Premier to Third Divisions will remain as 16 team leagues, therefore in the event of 9 teams being promoted into the new Lowland League (West) then 9 teams will be promoted throughout the subsequent leagues as a result. The structure of the Fourth Division will be decided by the WOSFL Board ahead of the June AGM once the new applicant clubs have been confirmed.
The new applicant teams are:
From start to finish this season, from top to bottom, almost every team will have something to play for right up until the end of the season.
One things for sure – life is never dull at our level of football!
(last updated 19th May 2026)
© Article by Troon Football Club
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