Queen of the South draw Dunfermline Athletic in Scottish Cup third round

Queen of the South will host Dunfermline Athletic in the third round of the Scottish Cup, a tie that brings back last season's beaten finalists. The draw was made on Sunday evening by Scott Bain, and the match will be played at Palmerston, Queen of the South's home ground in Dumfries, on the final weekend of November.

The Scottish Cup is a straight knockout competition. Lose and you are out, win and you move on to the next round. There is no second chance, and no league table to fall back on.

Dunfermline know that feeling well. They reached the final last spring, only to lose 3-1 to Celtic on 23 May. BBC Sport has the draw details, and the pairing now sends them south to Dumfries for a tie that will test how far their cup form carries into the autumn.

The two clubs have met before. They played each other in the Challenge Cup on 16 December 2025, so this will not be a completely unfamiliar fixture for either squad.

For Queen of the South, the chance is simple. A home tie against a team that reached the final gives them a clear target and a full ground to play in. For Dunfermline, it is a trip to the south-west of Scotland in late November, with the chance to keep their cup run going.

The date is still a few weeks away, but the draw has given both clubs something to look forward to. In a competition where one afternoon can end a season, that is enough to make the wait feel shorter.