The teams who finished fifth and sixth in the 2016 League of Ireland will participate in next season's Scottish Challenge Cup.

Bray Wanderers and Sligo Rovers will take part in the 2017/18 version of the competition, having been invited as the highest placed two teams outside of the division's European slots.

The League of Ireland announced the inclusion of the two sides at the launch of their 2017 season on Tuesday.

The Scottish Professional Football League has yet to confirm the move.

An approach was made to clubs from Ireland in December over the possibility of joining cross-border tournament, which featured sides from Northern Ireland and Wales in 2016/17.

Welsh representatives The New Saints are in the semi-final and are due to face St Mirren on February 19.

Under 20s teams from Scotland's Premiership also took part in this season's edition, with only Celtic reaching the third round before being eliminated by Livingston.

It is not yet known how the competition format will change to accommodate the two new sides.

Fifty-four clubs participated in 2016/17, with representatives from Northern Ireland and Wales not entering until the fourth round of seven.

Sligo Rovers finished fifth in the League of Ireland in 2016, with Bray Wanderers three points behind in sixth.

Dundalk, Cork City, Derry City and Shamrock Rovers all finished above the duo.