A beloved fixture of Scottish football's indoor calendar is making a return this autumn, as the Tennent's Soccer Sixes tournament comes back in a legends format featuring all 12 clubs from the Scottish Premiership.
The event, which will carry the backing of the SPFL, is scheduled to take place at Braehead Arena over the weekend of 3 and 4 October. Fans unable to attend in person will be able to follow the action on Premier Sports, which has secured broadcast rights for the tournament.
The format will see the 12 top-flight clubs divided into three regionalised groups of four teams, with group-stage matches played on the Saturday. From there, the top two finishers in each group will advance to the knockout stage, joined by the two best third-placed sides across the groups, ensuring a competitive path toward the eventual champion.
Organisers have retained some of the quirky rules that made the original tournament memorable. Every match is guaranteed to produce a winner, meaning any game that ends level after normal time will go to a penalty shootout, with an additional bonus point awarded for victory in the shootout. The sin bin system, a hallmark of six-a-side football, will also be used to penalize fouls and misconduct during matches.
The Soccer Sixes format has deep roots in Scottish football culture, having run for nine consecutive years starting in 1984. During that era, top clubs regularly sent some of their most recognizable first-team players to compete, making it a popular winter attraction for supporters. The last edition of the original tournament was held in 1993, with Partick Thistle claiming the title. Thistle, however, will not feature in this year's revived competition since they currently play in the Scottish Championship rather than the Premiership, and the new event is restricted to top-flight clubs.
The announcement of the tournament's return has been met with enthusiasm from within Scottish football's governing body. SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster spoke about the significance of bringing back an event that holds sentimental value for many long-time fans.
"The Tennent's Sixes has a special place in the hearts and minds of a generation of football fans and we are absolutely thrilled to get the band back together again with the official endorsement of the SPFL," Doncaster said.
The decision to frame this year's edition as a legends tournament is likely to add an extra layer of nostalgia, potentially drawing in players who featured in the competition's original heyday during the 1980s and early 1990s. While specific squad details and participating legends have yet to be revealed, the involvement of all 12 Premiership clubs suggests a broad cross-section of Scottish football will be represented at Braehead Arena in October.
The timing of the tournament, taking place across a single autumn weekend, mirrors the intensive, fast-paced nature of the original Soccer Sixes events, which were known for cramming multiple matches into short spaces of time and creating a lively atmosphere inside the arena.
With broadcast coverage now confirmed through Premier Sports, organizers appear keen to reach both those who remember the tournament fondly from its original run and a newer generation of supporters who may be experiencing the format for the first time. Further details regarding fixtures, participating legends, and ticket information are expected to be announced as the October dates approach.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.