Scottish Premiership clubs have voted to ban artificial pitches in the top flight from late 2026. The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) issued a resolution for clubs to vote on, with nine votes required for it to pass.
The next season will see Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibernian, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Rangers, St Johnstone, St Mirren and either Raith Rovers or Ross County compete in the top flight. Currently Livingston and Kilmarnock have artificial pitches but Kilmarnock plans to return to a grass surface in 2025. Hamilton Academical is the only other club in the top flight that uses artificial turf and has been promoted to the Championship.
The SPFL board has granted a two-year period for clubs with artificial pitches to plan for the phasing out of artificial pitches in the top tier of Scottish football. They have also approved plans for a Premiership-wide project to work with a leading pitch consultancy firm to improve the standards of grass pitches in the cinch Premiership. The SPFL will be engaging with Premiership clubs on this project ahead of the new season.