Highlands and Islands League

Highlands and Islands League

Founded	2019
Country	Scotland
Number of clubs	8
Domestic cup	Scottish Women's Cup
League cup(s)	Highlands and Islands League Cup
Current champions	Buckie
Most championships	Buckie (3 titles)
Website	Scottish Women's Football

The Highlands and Islands League is an amateur women's association football league in Scotland, run by Scottish Women's Football (SWF). Founded in 2019, the league sits outside the current Scottish Women's Football League pyramid. ^[1] It comprises eight teams: one based in Caithness, one in Moray, one in Ross-shire, one in Nairnshire, one in Orkney, two in Sutherland, and one in Inverness-shire.

History

In September 2018, a proposal to create a women's Highlands and Islands League for 2019 was ratified by Scottish Women's Football (SWF). ^[2] On 25 February 2019, SWF officially announced the creation of the new league. ^[1] The inaugural season ran from March to October, with each team playing 12 games, and was won by Clachnacuddin. ^[3] The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[4]

Clubs

2023 season

The following eight teams are competing in the Highlands and Islands League during the 2023 season: ^[3]

Team	Home ground	Location	First season	Ref.
Brora Rangers	Dudgeon Park	Brora, Sutherland	2019	[5]
Buckie	Gordon Park	Portgordon, Moray	2019	[6]
Caithness	Sir Georges Park	Thurso, Caithness	2019	[7]
Clachnacuddin	Grant Street Park	Inverness, Inverness-shire	2019	[8]
Nairn St Ninian	Nairn Showfield	Nairn, Nairnshire	2019	[9]
Ross & Cromarty	Ferry Brae Park	North Kessock, Ross-shire	2023	[10]
Orkney	Kirkwall Grammar School	Kirkwall, Orkney	2020	[11]
Sutherland	Couper Park	Helmsdale, Sutherland	2020	[12]

Former clubs

Team	Home ground	Location	First season	Last season	Ref.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development	Millburn Academy	Inverness, Inverness-shire	2019	2022	[13]
Lewis and Harris	Ullapool High School	Ullapool, Ross and Cromarty	2019	2019	[14]
Kirkwall City	The Pickaquoy Centre	Kirkwall, Orkney	2019	2021	[15]

Seasons

Season	Champions	Runners-up	Ref
2019	Clachnacuddin	Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development
2020	Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic		[16] [4]
2021	Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development	Clachnacuddin	[17]
2022	Buckie	Clachnacuddin	[18]
2023	Buckie		[19]
2024	Ross County	Buckie	[20]
2025	Buckie	Caithness	[21]

Highlands and Islands League Cup

The Cup competition began in the 2019 season, along with the foundation of the Highlands and Islands League. Lewis and Harris won the first edition. ^[22]

Season	Winners	Runners-up	Result	Venue	Ref.
2019	Lewis and Harris	Clachnacuddin	7–0	Caledonian Stadium, Inverness	[22]
2021	Sutherland	Clachnacuddin	3–2	Station Park, Nairn	[23]
2022	Buckie	Sutherland	2–2 a.e.t. (3–1 pen)	Station Park, Nairn	[24]
2023	Buckie	Caithness	3–1	Station Park, Nairn	[19]
2024	Buckie	Sutherland	1–0	King George V Park, Golspie	[25]
2025	Shetland	Sutherland	7–0	Station Park, Nairn	[26]

References

1. "New Highlands and Islands League set to launch". Scottish Women's Football. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
2. "Future bright for girls' grassroots football in Highlands and Islands". Scottish Football Association. 30 September 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
3. "Highlands & Islands League". Scottish Women's Football. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
4. Clark, Will (27 December 2020). "Highlands and Islands League winning manager Bobby Beckwith steps down as Clachnacuddin Women boss". Strathspey & Badenoch Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
5. "Brora Rangers". Scottish Women's Football . Retrieved 11 January 2020.
6. "Buckie Ladies". Scottish Women's Football . Retrieved 11 January 2020.
7. "Caithness". Scottish Women's Football . Retrieved 11 January 2020.
8. "Clachnacuddin". Scottish Women's Football . Retrieved 11 January 2020.
9. "Nairn". Scottish Women's Football . Retrieved 11 January 2020.
10. Clark, Will (30 March 2023). "Ross and Cromarty women make debut in Highlands and Islands League". Ross-shire Journal. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
11. "Orkney". Scottish Women's Football . Retrieved 22 February 2020.
12. "Sutherland". Scottish Women's Football . Retrieved 22 February 2020.
13. Clark, Will (22 January 2023). "WATCH - Ross and Cromarty WFC to debut in Highlands and Islands League for 2023". Inverness Courier. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
14. "Lewis and Harris women's team aim for a glorious ending to a memorable chapter". West Highland Free Press . 22 August 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
15. "Kirkwall City". Scottish Women's Football . Retrieved 11 January 2020.
16. "Orkney Women's Football Team Loses Out to Coronavirus". Glow Scotland. 28 May 2020. Archived from the original on 10 Jul 2022.
17. "Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development are Highlands and Islands League champions". Inverness Courier. Archived from the original on 28 Sep 2021.
18. Highlands & Islands League, season 2022 SWF
19. "Buckie secure Highlands and Islands League and Cup double". Scottish Women's Football. 27 September 2023.
20. "Ross County Girls and Women seal two trophies in one weekend after triumphs in under-18s North League Cup and Highlands and Islands League". ross-shire journal. 29 September 2024.
21. "Forfar Farmington kick off Barclays Championship with 4-1 victory over Morton". Scottish Women's Football. 20 August 2025.
22. Frith, Wilf (25 August 2019). "Lewis & Harris lift first ever Highlands & Islands Women's League Cup". She Kicks . Retrieved 14 January 2020.
23. "SWF Highlands & Islands League Cup Final 2021". Scottish Women's Football - Official Channel. 4 Oct 2021.
24. "Brave Buckie battle out historic league cup victory". SWF. Archived from the original on 10 Jul 2022. SWF results (archive)
25. "Buckie Ladies win third league cup in a row". Shekicks. 23 September 2024.
26. "Shetland in seventh heaven as they beat Sutherland to win Highlands and Islands League Cup final". SWF. 15 September 2025.

External links

• Scottish Women's Football