Rangers and Aberdeen meet in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Saturday 31 October 2026 at 17:30 GMT. The match will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Scotland and followed on the BBC Sport app and website.
Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson arrives with a strong Hampden record. As a manager he is unbeaten in semi-finals at the national stadium, having led St Mirren to the League Cup title last season and Motherwell to both domestic cup finals in 2017‑18, including a 3‑0 win over Derek McInnes' Aberdeen in the League Cup quarter‑final and a 2‑0 victory over Pedro Caixinha's Rangers in the same competition's semi‑final. Last season his St Mirren side also knocked out McInnes' Hearts on penalties in this competition en route to a 3‑1 final win over Celtic.
Aberdeen's current form is a concern. They have won only three of their first 11 Premiership games and have failed to score in four of their last six home league matches. The absence of defender Mats Knoester is a significant blow to their defensive resilience. Robinson acknowledged that patience is wearing thin but insisted his team knows how to motivate for big occasions.
Rangers boss Derek McInnes is under pressure to deliver silverware. In 14 years Rangers have won just one league title, one Scottish Cup and one League Cup. McInnes, who won the League Cup with Aberdeen in 2014, sees this semi-final as a chance to claim his first trophy at Ibrox. Rangers are unbeaten in 10 games and have looked physically dominant in their two Old Firm victories this season, though they were fortunate to draw at Tynecastle midweek.
Robinson said: "I have done it before – every semi or final I have been in, the teams I was with were not expected to win. So I know how to motivate teams, the staff know how to get teams to believe." McInnes added: "To get the first trophy would be so important, reinforcing confidence, reinforcing belief. Traditionally, semi-finals can be fraught with nerves and tension."
A win for Aberdeen would be a major upset and could transform Robinson's tenure at Pittodrie. For Rangers, victory would set up a December final against Hearts or Hibernian and provide an early statement under McInnes.
