Fixtures are played to a finish, with extra time and then penalties used in the event of ties.
Clubs involved in European competitions are given a bye to the third round to avoid congestion of fixtures.
The 2009–10 tournament had seen both such sides enter in the first round, plus 11th in the SPL – as there were 6 Scottish clubs in Europe.
Unless a Scottish side wins the Europa League or unless the country secures one of the three "Fair Play" places, there will only be 4 clubs in Europe during 2011–12.
This practice had been the source of criticism – as it forced fans to travel to a neutral venue for a prestigious Semi-Final on a weekday evening in January or February.