**The 2026-27 Scottish Premiership features 12 teams after St Johnstone earned promotion as 2025-26 Championship winners and Livingston dropped down following a dismal campaign.** Early-season results after the opening weeks show Kilmarnock winless and conceding heavily at the foot of the table, with Falkirk also struggling near the bottom. Pre-season betting and expert previews highlighted St Johnstone, St Mirren (who survived 2025-26 via play-offs), Dundee, and Kilmarnock as leading candidates for the drop, reflecting concerns over squad depth, recent form, and the challenges faced by promoted sides. Multiple clubs underwent significant summer recruitment and managerial changes, including new bosses at Hearts, Motherwell, and St Mirren, while Celtic and Rangers dominate the top. The season runs until May 2027 with the standard post-33-game split into top and bottom six, where bottom-six results and a potential play-off determine the final relegated sides. Historical patterns show immediate returns to the Championship are common for promoted teams.