| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 26 July 2025 – 18 April 2026 |
| Champions | Brora Rangers |
| Matches | 306 |
| Goals | 1,016 (3.32 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Buckie Thistle 8–0 Rothes (17 January 2026) |
| Biggest away win | Strathspey Thistle 0–8 Brora Rangers (10 September 2025) |
| Highest scoring |
|
| Longest winning run | 7 matches: 3 teams |
| Longest unbeaten run | 13 matches: Formartine United |
| Longest winless run | 22 matches: Rothes |
| Longest losing run | 11 matches: Rothes |
← 2024–25 2026–27 →
All statistics correct as of 18 April 2026. | |
The 2025–26 Highland Football League (known as the Breedon Highland League for sponsorship reasons) was the 123rd season of the Highland Football League, and the 12th season as part of the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. Brora Rangers were the reigning champions.
Due to restructuring of the Lowland League from 2026 to 2027 into two 16-team divisions, Brechin City will transfer into the Lowland League East in 2026–27 as they did not achieve promotion by winning the Highland League and the Pyramid Playoff.[1]
For the fifth season in a row, the title race came down to the final full round of fixtures, as Brora Rangers and Brechin City entered their games separated by goal difference. Ultimately, Brora Rangers won the championship by one point, following their 1–1 draw at Huntly, while Brechin City lost 1–4 at Turriff United. Brora Rangers ultimately remained in the Highland League, losing 1–3 in the League Two play-off final to Edinburgh City.
Teams
[edit]
All grounds are equipped with floodlights as required by league regulations.
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banks o' Dee | Aberdeen | Spain Park | 876 | 122 |
| Brechin City | Brechin | Glebe Park | 4,083 | 1,519 |
| Brora Rangers | Brora | Dudgeon Park | 2,000 | 250 |
| Buckie Thistle | Buckie | Victoria Park | 3,000 | 400 |
| Clachnacuddin | Inverness | Grant Street Park | 2,074 | 154 |
| Deveronvale | Banff | Princess Royal Park | 2,651 | 360 |
| Formartine United | Pitmedden | North Lodge Park | 1,800 | 300 |
| Forres Mechanics | Forres | Mosset Park | 2,700 | 502 |
| Fraserburgh | Fraserburgh | Bellslea Park | 1,865 | 480 |
| Huntly | Huntly | Christie Park | 2,200 | 270 |
| Inverurie Loco Works | Inverurie | Harlaw Park | 2,500 | 250 |
| Keith | Keith | Kynoch Park | 2,362 | 370 |
| Lossiemouth | Lossiemouth | Grant Park | 2,050 | 250 |
| Nairn County | Nairn | Station Park | 2,250 | 250 |
| Rothes | Rothes | Mackessack Park | 1,731 | 167 |
| Strathspey Thistle | Grantown-on-Spey | Seafield Park | 1,600 | 150 |
| Turriff United | Turriff | The Haughs | 2,135 | 135 |
| Wick Academy | Wick | Harmsworth Park | 2,412 | 300 |
League table
[edit]The winner of the league will take part in the Pyramid Playoff, playing against the winner of the Lowland League in the semi-finals, the winner of which will face the team who finish 10th in SPFL League Two for a place in the 2026–27 League Two.
As Elgin City cannot be relegated via the Pyramid Playoff, no team will be relegated into the Highland League.
Due to the reconstruction of the Lowland League in 2025–26, Brechin City will leave the Highland League in the 2026–27 season by transferring to the new Lowland League East; North Caledonian Football League winners Invergordon will replace them.[2]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brora Rangers (C) | 34 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 97 | 35 | +62 | 75 | Qualification for the Pyramid play-off |
| 2 | Brechin City | 34 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 78 | 23 | +55 | 74 | Transfer to Lowland League East |
| 3 | Formartine United | 34 | 20 | 11 | 3 | 65 | 27 | +38 | 71 | |
| 4 | Fraserburgh | 34 | 21 | 5 | 8 | 75 | 39 | +36 | 68 | |
| 5 | Clachnacuddin | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 78 | 40 | +38 | 61 | |
| 6 | Banks o' Dee | 34 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 58 | 35 | +23 | 58 | |
| 7 | Keith | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 52 | 47 | +5 | 58 | |
| 8 | Buckie Thistle | 34 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 62 | 47 | +15 | 53 | |
| 9 | Nairn County | 34 | 15 | 4 | 15 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 49 | |
| 10 | Turriff United | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 60 | 50 | +10 | 48 | |
| 11 | Huntly | 34 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 46 | 43 | +3 | 43 | |
| 12 | Forres Mechanics | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 52 | 67 | −15 | 40 | |
| 13 | Strathspey Thistle[a] | 34 | 13 | 2 | 19 | 49 | 83 | −34 | 38 | |
| 14 | Deveronvale | 34 | 11 | 4 | 19 | 46 | 87 | −41 | 37 | |
| 15 | Inverurie Loco Works[b] | 34 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 47 | 66 | −19 | 30 | |
| 16 | Wick Academy | 34 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 42 | 65 | −23 | 28 | |
| 17 | Lossiemouth | 34 | 4 | 5 | 25 | 20 | 76 | −56 | 17 | |
| 18 | Rothes | 34 | 1 | 4 | 29 | 33 | 134 | −101 | 7 |
Results
[edit]| Home \ Away | BAN | BRE | BRO | BUC | CLA | DEV | FOU | FOM | FRA | HUN | INV | KEI | LOS | NAI | RTH | STR | TUR | WIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banks o' Dee | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 6–1 | |
| Brechin City | 1–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 6–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | |
| Brora Rangers | 0–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 8–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 6–2 | 7–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | |
| Buckie Thistle | 1–3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 8–0 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 2–0 | |
| Clachnacuddin | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 7–0 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | |
| Deveronvale | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–6 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 3–2 | |
| Formartine United | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | |
| Forres Mechanics | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | |
| Fraserburgh | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 7–0 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | |
| Huntly | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | |
| Inverurie Loco Works | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | |
| Keith | 3–0 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | |
| Lossiemouth | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | |
| Nairn County | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | |
| Rothes | 2–2 | 1–8 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 2–5 | 1–5 | 0–3 | 2–5 | 2–5 | 2–6 | 1–5 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 0–5 | 1–1 | |
| Strathspey Thistle | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–8 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–4 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 2–0 | |
| Turriff United | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | |
| Wick Academy | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Highland League play-off
[edit]Subject to the tier 6 champion clubs meeting the required licensing criteria for promotion,[7][8] a play-off was scheduled to place between the winners of the North Caledonian Football League and the North of Scotland Football League, with the winners then playing the team who finished bottom of the Highland League.
With only North Caledonian Football League winners Invergordon being newly granted an SFA Entry licence, they progressed directly to the final against Rothes over a two-legged tie,[9][10] with the final due to be held for the first time since 2021–22.
However, the play-off would not take place due to a vacancy in the League as a result of Brechin City leaving the division and Elgin City not being relegated from SPFL League Two; Invergordon were directly promoted to fill the vacancy.[2][11]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Lowland League reconstruction revealed: West and East split, future of B teams and relegation status confirmed". Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- 1 2 Law, Callum (2 April 2026). "EXCLUSIVE: Invergordon join the Highland League without requirement for play-off". The Press and Journal. Aberdeen Journals. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- 1 2 Law, Callum (10 April 2026). "EXCLUSIVE: Inverurie Locos and Strathspey Thistle deducted points". The Press and Journal. Aberdeen Journals. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ "Highland League Table". BBC. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
- ↑ "Highland Football League, Scotland - League Table". Highland Football League. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
- ↑ "REVEALED: Highland League fixtures for season 2025-26 in full". Press and Journal. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ↑ Chalk, Paul. "George Manson takes over top Highland League role at AGM". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ↑ Fraser, Alasdair. "Relegation dawns for Highland League clubs as tier six north set for next season". Inverness Courier. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ↑ Clark, Will (20 March 2026). "Invergordon given entry level licence that makes them eligible for Highland League promotion". The Northern Scot. Highland News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ Chalk, Paul (19 March 2026). "Invergordon discover if they will be allowed to play in Highland League play-off". The Press and Journal. Aberdeen Journals. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ Henderson, Andrew (2 April 2026). "Invergordon accepted into Highland League for 2026/27 season without needing a play-off". Strathspey & Badenoch Herald. Highland News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 3 April 2026.