Celtic and Rangers have launched formal appeals against sanctions imposed by the Scottish Football Association following fan disorder at their Scottish Cup quarter-final encounter. Both clubs are contesting the requirement to play their next home Scottish Cup matches behind closed doors and are also challenging £100,000 fines levied against each organisation. The Scottish FA has scheduled appeal hearings for Monday, 26 October 2026 to examine the clubs' challenges.
The disciplinary action stems from incidents that occurred at the end of last season's quarter-final at Ibrox, where Celtic progressed following a penalty shoot-out. Supporters from both clubs clashed on the pitch after the final whistle in March, resulting in injuries to police officers and stewards. The governing body warned both organisations that further unacceptable conduct could result in a second home match being played without spectators present.
What sparked the original sanctions?
The Scottish FA's decision followed a period of investigation into the disorder. Police Scotland made 43 arrests in connection with the incident, and objects and pyrotechnics were thrown during the disturbances. An independent review commissioned by the Scottish FA determined that a "crushing incident was a real and foreseeable risk" due to "non-compliant Ultra group fans surging past police and stewards". Both clubs had admitted to the original charges brought against them by the governing body.
Celtic issued a statement at the time of the sanctions, expressing their position on the punishment. The club stated:
We are shocked by this disproportionate punishment for a relatively small incursion by Celtic supporters at a moment of emotion and celebration.The statement continued:
Our club has never defended supporters entering the field of play and we have repeatedly taken action when it occurs. However, we understand the part emotion plays in football and would have expected the context and distinction in behaviours to have been taken into account by the panel. Another important distinction is that, on this occasion, Celtic were not the home club, responsible for stadium safety arrangements.
Rangers indicated they would examine the outcome in detail before deciding on their formal response to the sanctions.
How have the clubs responded to the appeals process?
Neither club has made public statements regarding the specifics of their appeals, though both have confirmed they are challenging the Scottish FA's decision. According to reports from Scottish sports media, the clubs are contesting both the closed-doors requirement and the financial penalties. The appeal tribunal will hear arguments from both organisations on the scheduled date.
What wider restrictions have been put in place?
Beyond the individual sanctions facing each club, the Scottish Professional Football League has implemented a broader measure affecting Old Firm fixtures. An agreement was reached to have no away fans at any Old Firm derbies in this season's SPFL competitions. According to the SPFL's confirmation, this arrangement covers all Old Firm meetings in Scottish Premiership and League Cup games for the remainder of the 2026/27 season.
The no-away-fans arrangement is being characterised as a temporary measure while further discussions continue between the clubs, the SPFL and other stakeholders. The SPFL has indicated that the decision was made to allow time for consideration of the independent review's findings and recommendations, as well as to enable proper fixture planning. The temporary nature of the arrangement leaves open the possibility of review later in the season, meaning the away-fan ban is not necessarily permanent.
What happens next?
The Scottish FA appeal tribunal is scheduled to hear both clubs' challenges on Monday, 26 October 2026. The outcome of these hearings will determine whether the closed-doors sanctions and financial penalties are upheld, reduced or overturned. The decision could also have implications for how the SPFL's temporary no-away-fans arrangement is managed going forward, particularly if the appeals result in a significant change to the original sanctions.
The broader context of this dispute reflects ongoing tensions surrounding fan conduct at Old Firm matches. The SPFL's decision to restrict away allocations followed discussions linked to the fan disorder at the Scottish Cup quarter-final and the subsequent independent review process. Both organisations have committed to ongoing talks with the SPFL and other stakeholders to address the underlying issues that contributed to the disorder.
