Celtic have discovered when their Premier Sports Cup campaign will begin after details of the competition’s knockout stages were confirmed.
As one of Scotland’s European representatives, Celtic will enter the competition directly at the last-16 stage rather than taking part in the group phase.
The Hoops are one of five clubs who have received a bye, alongside Hearts, Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian.
And after last season’s heartache when Celtic lost to St Mirren, supporters will be desperate to get their hands on the trophy once more.
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Celtic handed direct route into last 16
Celtic’s participation in European competition means they will not be involved in the opening rounds of the Premier Sports Cup.
Instead, the Scottish champions will join the tournament at the last-16 stage, where they will face one of the teams who progress from the earlier rounds.
The same arrangement applies to Hearts, Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian, who have also secured direct passage into the knockout phase.
When Celtic will begin their cup campaign
The draw for the last 16 will determine Celtic’s first opponents in this season’s competition.
According to details released ahead of the knockout rounds, the last-16 ties are scheduled to take place on August 15 and 16.
That means Celtic’s first match in the Premier Sports Cup will come in mid-August as the club look to begin another domestic cup campaign on a positive note with a new manager at the helm.
For now, supporters must wait for the draw to discover who stands between Celtic and a place in the quarter-finals.
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