Celtic and Rangers set to find out Scottish Premiership opponents for next season

The title race may already be as good as over in the Scottish Premiership but it is set to go down to the wire in spectacular fashion in Scotland’s second tier.

The final round of Championship matches will be played tonight and the fixtures could not have fallen more dramatically with the two teams who are chasing the title going head-to-head. Meanwhile, there are still play-off places up for grabs and it is all to play for at the bottom end.

By the conclusion of tonight (Friday, May 5) we will know one of the teams who will be joining Celtic and Rangers in the Scottish Premiership next season as well as the other three that will fight out for the right to face the club that finishes 11th in the top flight in the play-off final. Here is how the final round of Championship fixtures looks:

• Cove Rangers vs Greenock Morton
• Arbroath vs Hamilton Academical
• Raith Rovers vs Partick Thistle
• Inverness CT vs Ayr United
• Queen’s Park vs Dundee

Out of the ten teams, only Raith Rovers have nothing to play for and this is how the title and play-off spots will be decided:

Title race - Queen’s Park and Dundee go head-to-head

Dundee are top of the table on 60 points and Queen’s Park are second on 58, meaning the title will be decided at Stenhousemuir’s Ochilview Stadium (where the Spiders have played home games this season) tonight. It’s must win for Owen Coyle’s men while the Dee can secure their place back in the top flight with just a draw.

The visitors finished bottom of the Scottish Premiership in the 2021/22 season and are looking to bounce straight back up under head coach Gary Bowyer, formerly of Blackpool and Salford City. Meanwhile, Queen’s Park have not been a top flight club since 1958 and are looking for their third consecutive promotion.

Play-offs - Partick, Inverness, Morton and Ayr all chasing places

Whoever doesn’t win the title will have to settle for the play-offs where there are four other clubs competing for the remaining spots. Second, third and fourth qualify for the additional fixtures with third and fourth facing off over two legs for the right to play the team who finishes second over two legs. The winner of that tie then advances to the play-off final where they take on the club who finishes 11th in the Premiership over two legs.

Partick Thistle are third with 56 points and Ayr United are fourth with 55 points, currently occupying the two play-off qualifying places. Inverness also have 55 points but a significantly worse goal difference to the Jags and the Honest Men while Greenock Morton have 54 points and also have a far worse goal difference.

If Partick Thistle win away to Raith Rovers then they will be guaranteed to finish at least third and could even go second if Dundee beat Queen’s Park. Ayr United are in the same boat as they have a better goal difference than the Spiders so a win combined with both Partick and Queen’s Park losing would see the Somerset Park outfit go second.

However, the Honest Men have a difficult and long away trip to Inverness to contend with and the Scottish Cup finalists know that victory will ensure they reach the play-offs. Only a win will do it though as a draw would keep Ayr above them and they do not have the goal difference to go above Partick unless the Jags lost by 15 goals.

As for Greenock Morton, their fate is very much out of their hands but a win away to Cove Rangers, who are scrapping to avoid relegation along with Hamilton Accies and Arbroath, would give them a chance. The most likely outcome that would see them finishing fourth would be for them to win and for Ayr and Inverness to draw.