Celtic have been ordered to play their next Scottish Cup home match behind closed doors as a punishment for supporter disorder. The sanction, reported by BBC Sport Football, follows a pitch invasion and missile throwing by fans after last season's quarter-final penalty shootout victory at Ibrox.
Both Celtic and Rangers must also pay £100,000 to whichever team they are drawn against in that next home cup fixture. A second home match behind closed doors will be automatically imposed on either club if their supporters are involved in another incident of unacceptable conduct in the Scottish Cup before the end of the 2027/28 season. The Scottish FA disciplinary panel issued the ruling after a hearing at Hampden on 13 August, with both clubs having admitted charges under rule 37 for unacceptable conduct.
What happened at the Ibrox quarter-final?
The Scottish Cup quarter-final in March ended 0-0 before Celtic won 4-2 on penalties. After the shootout, several hundred Celtic supporters entered the pitch area. Rangers' Union Bears group also moved in a reactionary and confrontational manner, according to an independent review. Supporters threw fireworks and other missiles, leading to injuries among police officers. There were 43 arrests. The review, led by Mark Blackbourne and published last month, concluded that crushing and life-threatening violence were narrowly avoided. It criticized both clubs for failings and said the Scottish FA had not taken a tough enough stance on crowd disorder historically.
How have the clubs responded to the punishment?
Celtic issued a strong statement expressing shock at what they called a disproportionate punishment. "We are shocked by this disproportionate punishment for a relatively small incursion by Celtic supporters at a moment of emotion and celebration," the club said. They stressed they have never defended supporters entering the field of play and have repeatedly taken action against such behaviour. Celtic also pointed out they were not the home club responsible for stadium safety arrangements for the March match and stated they will study the panel's report before considering their next steps. Rangers said they note the decision and will consider the outcome in full before determining any further steps.
What does the independent review reveal?
Mark Blackbourne's review painted a disturbing picture of the events. It described the organisational characteristics of certain Ultra groups in terms more commonly linked with organised crime groups. The review called for heavier sanctions for incidents linked to such groups. A post-match safety meeting recorded that some experienced police officers were described as 'petrified' of policing another match at Ibrox. Blackbourne commented on this finding, saying, "That word must be read in context, not in isolation, but so qualified, it remains deeply disturbing for Scottish football."
What is the current context for Celtic?
The sanctions are expected to take effect when both sides enter the Scottish Cup in January. In the immediate term, Celtic sit first in the Premiership with six points from two wins, having scored six goals and conceded just one. Their next fixture is a home match against Falkirk on 29 August. You can track their progress on our standings page. This ruling comes after a difficult European week for both Glasgow clubs. Celtic spectacularly lost a UEFA Champions League qualifying tie, surrendering a 4-0 aggregate lead to lose 5-4 on aggregate to Austria's LASK, dropping into the Europa League. Rangers were eliminated from European competition altogether after losing a Conference League playoff on penalties to Czech side Jablonec. Off the field, Rangers will provide Celtic with 300 tickets for the upcoming Scottish League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox on 13 September, a significant reduction from the full allocation of around 7,500 they received for the fateful cup tie in March. Fans can view the full schedule on our fixtures list.
