The Scottish Inter League is one of the highlights of the Scottish table tennis calendar, bringing together the strongest league and association teams from across the country for a weekend of competitive play. Held once each season, the event provides players of all ages with the opportunity to represent their local league against the best talent from other regions in Scotland.
When does it take place?
The Scottish Inter League is usually held over a single weekend in April, with matches taking place on both Saturday and Sunday. Team entries are typically submitted around the beginning of March, allowing each participating association time to select its squads.
Who can take part?
The competition is open to players who compete in local table tennis leagues across Scotland. Each league or association is permitted to enter up to two teams in each category, giving more players the opportunity to represent their region. The competition features a wide range of age groups and categories:
- Under 13 Boys & Girls
- Under 15 Boys & Girls
- Under 19 Boys & Girls
- Senior Men
- Senior Ladies
- Veteran 40+ Men
- Veteran 40+ Ladies
This structure makes the Scottish Inter League a truly inclusive event, with players ranging from promising juniors to experienced veterans competing over the same weekend.
How is the winner decided?
Rather than being based on a single team, the overall winner is the league or association that accumulates the most points across all categories during the weekend.
Each category awards points based on final finishing position, with the winners receiving between 10 and 12 points, depending on the size of the group. Every placing contributes towards the overall association total, making every match important throughout the competition.
The event also places a strong emphasis on sportsmanship. Associations can lose points for:
- Unsporting behaviour
- Late arrival
- Slow play
- Disrespectful behaviour towards match officials
At the conclusion of the tournament, the association with the highest overall points total is awarded the Stewart McGowan Trophy, recognising the best all-round performance across the competition.
Bell’s Sports Centre
For many years, the Scottish Inter League was held at Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth, which became synonymous with the event. Following severe flooding in late 2023, the venue closed its doors permanently. In August 2024, Perth & Kinross Council confirmed the withdrawal of services, bringing an end to Bell’s Sports Centre as the long-standing home of the competition.
The event returned in 2025 with a new venue at Aberdeen Sports Village, where Aberdeen successfully hosted the Scottish Inter League in both 2025 and 2026.
Notable successes
Historically, the Edinburgh & Lothian and West of Scotland squads have been the dominant force in the Scottish Inter League, regularly claiming the Stewart McGowan Trophy through strong performances across multiple age groups. One notable exception came in 2019, when Aberdeen produced an outstanding all-round performance to win the Stewart McGowan Trophy, demonstrating the growing strength of table tennis in the north-east.
| CATEGORY | 1st PLACE | 2nd PLACE | 3rd PLACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Girls | Aberdeen | Dumfries | Edinburgh |
| Minor Boys | Aberdeen | Edinburgh | West of Scotland A |
| Cadet Boys | Aberdeen | West of Scotland A | Stirling |
| Junior Boys | Aberdeen | West of Scotland A | Dundee |
| Veterans Ladies | West of Scotland | Dundee | Edinburgh |
| Veterans Men | Edinburgh A | West of Scotland A | Dundee A |
| Senior Ladies | Edinburgh A | Aberdeen | Edinburgh B |
| Senior Men | Edinburgh A | West of Scotland | Edinburgh B |
Representing ADTTA
The Scottish Inter League is one of the best opportunities for ADTTA players to represent their local association in a team environment, competing against the strongest league players from across Scotland. With places available in every age group and category, the event is an excellent experience for juniors developing their game as well as senior and veteran players looking to compete at a high level.
Team selection takes place ahead of the event, with entries to the competition typically submitted by associations around the beginning of March. If you are interested in representing ADTTA at a future Scottish Inter League, speak to your club or league organisers to express your interest well in advance of the entry deadline.