Snow and frost ripped through the Highland League schedule again on Saturday, forcing five matches off and leaving only one fixture definitely on.
Clachnacuddin against Keith hangs on a midday pitch inspection, while Formartine United versus Fraserburgh is the sole game given the green light so far.
Another Weekend Lost to Winter
The Highland League has been battered by the weather all season. This is the third Saturday in a row where most of the card has been wiped out.
Fans, players and clubs are growing frustrated as the fixture backlog grows. Brora Rangers’ huge top-of-the-table clash with Brechin City was called off on Friday night, ending weeks of build-up in an instant.
Huntly versus Lossiemouth also fell on Friday. Then this morning brought three more casualties:
- Strathspey Thistle v Inverurie Locos
- Turriff United v Nairn County
- Wick Academy v Banks o’ Dee
All postponed after early inspections.
Clach Still in Doubt, Formartine Gets Green Light
Keith travel to Grant Street in Inverness hoping to play Clachnacuddin, but snow covers large parts of the pitch. A midday inspection will decide if the game survives.
Formartine United confirmed their home match against Fraserburgh is ON after their pitch passed an 8.30am check. The Broch will make the long trip north with the game set to go ahead at 3pm.
Title Race and Promotion Battle on Hold
Brora Rangers and Brechin City remain locked on 61 points at the top. Both sides have played 25 games, but Brechin have a game in hand.
The cancelled clash was seen as a potential title decider. Now both teams must wait, and the backlog keeps growing.
Banks o’ Dee sit third, four points behind with two games in hand. They were due at Wick Academy, one of the longest trips in the league. That journey is off, sparing them a 300-mile round trip in brutal conditions.
Why Highland League Suffers More Than Most
Frozen pitches and snow-covered parks are nothing new in Scottish football, but the Highland League gets hit harder than any other league.
Many grounds lack undersoil heating or covers. Some, like Wick and Brora, are fully exposed to the elements up north.
Travel is also a nightmare. Teams regularly face six or seven-hour round trips in winter conditions. When doubt hangs over a pitch until the last minute, clubs often have to cancel travel plans on safety grounds.
One club official told us: “We can’t ask volunteers to drive through blizzards on the off-chance the game might be on. Safety has to come first.”
Fans Left Frustrated Again
Supporters have had precious little football to watch in 2026. Some clubs have played only twice since early December.
One Brechin City fan posted on social media: “Drove up yesterday, stayed overnight, now the game’s off. That’s the third time this season. Gutted.”
Highland League officials say all postponed games will be rearranged “in due course”, but finding midweek slots is becoming almost impossible with the backlog.
The league has already started using Friday nights and Sunday afternoons where possible, but even those dates are running out.
Scotland’s winter is showing no signs of easing. More snow is forecast next week, meaning the disruption could continue.
For now, only Formartine United and Fraserburgh fans have a match to look forward to this weekend. Everyone else faces another Saturday without football.
What do you think? Should the Highland League move more games to summer or invest in better pitch protection? Or is this just part of supporting football in the north? Let us know in the comments.
