Format
The competition is of a knockout format. Ties are one-legged with each game lasting 90 minutes. In the event of a tie after normal time, the game continues into extra time until a clear winner is decided. If there is no clear winner after extra time the game is decided by a penalty shootout. The competition commences early in the Scottish football season. The first round is often played on a Saturday, usually the week before the beginning of the Scottish Football League season, although in recent years SFL sides qualifying for the UEFA Cup have made this unfeasible and the round has been held midweek. The rest of the competition, up to and including the semi-finals, are also played midweek. The final usually takes place on a Saturday or Sunday in October or November, at a neutral stadium located close to the two competing clubs.
The first round is divided into two geographical areas - North/East and South/West - each consisting of 15 clubs. Up until 2010, 7 ties were drawn from each area and 1 club received a random bye to the second round. However, for the 2011–12 season, the competition included two Highland Football League clubs for the first time, Buckie Thistle and Deveronvale, thus increasing the number of competing clubs to 32; this means 8 ties from each area will take place meaning no teams will receive a random bye to the second round.
Read more about this topic: Scottish Challenge Cup