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Every Scottish Premiership Champion (1998-2025)

28 entries · verified 2026-07-20 · free · from the Ball IQ football team

Scotland's top flight rebranded twice across this era. The Scottish Premier League broke away from the old Premier Division in 1998, then merged with the Scottish Football League in 2013 to form the SPFL, whose top tier became the Premiership. Through every name change, one truth held: the trophy almost never left Glasgow.

Since 1998-99 the title has gone to Celtic or Rangers in every single season. The pattern swings in blocks — Rangers opened the era, Celtic answered, and the two traded three- and four-year runs of dominance. Rangers's 2012 financial collapse and demotion to the fourth tier handed Celtic an uninterrupted nine-in-a-row stretch, broken only when a rebuilt Rangers took the 2020-21 crown.

The runner-up column tells the more interesting story. Beyond the Old Firm, clubs like Hearts, Motherwell and — most persistently — Aberdeen have pushed into second, chasing a gap that has often stretched past ten or even seventeen points. This list runs every season from 1998-99 through 2024-25.

SeasonChampionsRunner-up
1998-99RangersCeltic
1999-2000RangersCeltic
2000-01CelticRangers
2001-02CelticRangers
2002-03RangersCeltic
2003-04CelticRangers
2004-05RangersCeltic
2005-06CelticHeart of Midlothian
2006-07CelticRangers
2007-08CelticRangers
2008-09RangersCeltic
2009-10RangersCeltic
2010-11RangersCeltic
2011-12CelticRangers
2012-13CelticMotherwell
2013-14CelticMotherwell
2014-15CelticAberdeen
2015-16CelticAberdeen
2016-17CelticAberdeen
2017-18CelticAberdeen
2018-19CelticRangers
2019-20CelticRangers
2020-21RangersCeltic
2021-22CelticRangers
2022-23CelticRangers
2023-24CelticRangers
2024-25CelticRangers
2025-26CelticHeart of Midlothian

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Every Scottish Premiership Champion (1998-2025) — FAQ

Which club has won the most Scottish Premiership titles?
In the SPL/SPFL Premiership era from 1998-99, Celtic have won the most with 19 titles, compared to Rangers's 8. Across all of Scottish top-flight history the two are much closer, with both clubs on 55 top-division titles after Celtic's 2024-25 win.
Has any club other than Celtic or Rangers won the Scottish Premiership since 1998?
No. Every single title from 1998-99 through 2024-25 has gone to either Celtic or Rangers. The last club outside the Old Firm to win Scotland's top flight was Aberdeen in 1984-85.
Why did Rangers not win any titles between 2011 and 2021?
Rangers were liquidated in 2012 following financial trouble and the newco club had to restart in the fourth tier. They climbed back to the top flight by 2016 but did not win the Premiership again until 2020-21, allowing Celtic to complete nine titles in a row.
Who finished as runner-up most often behind the Old Firm?
Aberdeen were the most persistent challengers, finishing second in four consecutive seasons from 2014-15 to 2017-18. Motherwell (2012-13, 2013-14) and Hearts (2005-06) also claimed runner-up spots during the era.