Scottish league season to start on weekend of August 6

All four senior Scottish leagues will kick off on the weekend of Saturday August 6 this year, Hampden chiefs have announced.

The Scottish Professional Football League has said the 2016-17 Premiership, Championship, League One and League Two campaigns will all begin on the same weekend.

The domestic schedule will start three weeks earlier with the first running of the new Scottish League Cup summer group stage, involving the SPFL's 38 non-European qualifiers as well as the Highland and Lowland League champions.

League chiefs have also confirmed the reintroduction of a winter break for the top flight, with a three-week shut-down taking place next January.

The full league-fixture lists for next season are expected to be announced in June.