Clubs agree Scottish Challenge Cup cancellation in absence of fans

(Reuters) - The Scottish Challenge Cup has been cancelled for the 2020-21 season after 34 of the 42 clubs agreed it should not go ahead while fans cannot attend matches due to COVID-19 concerns, the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) said on Friday.

The SPFL confirmed the final of the 2019-20 competition between Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Raith Rovers will still be played and will be scheduled for a date later this season.

"This is a sad day for a competition that has been an established and much-loved part of the footballing landscape since its inception to commemorate the centenary of the Scottish Football League in 1990," an SPFL spokesperson said in a statement https://spfl.co.uk/news/challenge-cup-cancelled-for-202021.

"It is extremely concerning that so many clubs felt that they could not afford to participate in the Challenge Cup this season, given the continuing restrictions on fans coming to matches."

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)