Rangers will host Celtic in the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup after beating holders St Mirren, setting up a derby tie for the weekend of 12-13 September 2026. Derek McInnes secured victory in his first match in charge, with the draw also pairing Stenhousemuir against Hearts, Kilmarnock against Aberdeen, and Ross County against Hibernian.
According to live coverage of the tie, Rangers required extra time to see off St Mirren, eventually winning 3-1 with the decisive goal arriving after the 90-minute mark. That result contrasts with an earlier account of the match, which described McInnes's win as a 5-1 scoreline achieved within normal time — a discrepancy between the two reports on the final margin of victory. A further report on the draw, citing coverage from an African sports broadcaster, also stated that Rangers beat St Mirren 5-1 before the quarter-final draw was made live on a dedicated football channel, reinforcing that version of events even as it remains at odds with the extra-time account.
Stenhousemuir's progress to the last eight came at the expense of Motherwell, whom they beat in extra time. The same live coverage notes that the result kept Marvin Bartley unbeaten as manager since taking charge of the Championship club, adding another notable subplot to a competition that has already produced several upsets involving lower-league sides.
How did the draw depend on the Rangers tie?
The quarter-final pairings were broadcast live on a dedicated sports channel immediately after the Rangers-St Mirren match concluded, according to a report from The Scotsman. The scheduling of the draw itself hinged on whether that tie was resolved in 90 minutes or stretched into extra time and penalties, reflecting how closely the broadcaster's coverage plans were tied to the outcome on the pitch. Separate reporting from a Scottish sports broadcaster's website states the draw took place on 16 August 2026, once both Rangers and Celtic had confirmed their places in the last eight.
What led to this stage of the competition?
The path to the quarter-finals began with the last-16 draw, in which holders St Mirren were paired with Rangers, while Celtic were sent to face Dundee United and Aberdeen were drawn at home against Dundee. St Mirren had opened their defence of the trophy with a comfortable win in the group stage, as detailed in coverage of their 4-0 victory over Dumbarton, a weekend that also saw Linlithgow Rose spring an upset against Greenock Morton.
Those last-16 ties were played across the weekend of 15-16 August, a round in which Celtic advanced past Dundee United, according to background reporting on the competition. The tournament's format channels the eight group winners together with the three strongest runners-up into the knockout stages, a structure that has allowed lower-division clubs such as Stenhousemuir to reach the last eight this season.
What is the schedule for the quarter-final weekend?
The four quarter-final ties will be played across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Rangers against Celtic confirmed as the final fixture of the round. Stenhousemuir will host Hearts on Friday evening at 19:45 BST, while Ross County will take on Hibernian in Dingwall on Saturday at 15:00 and Kilmarnock will meet Aberdeen at Rugby Park the same day. Rangers will host Celtic at Ibrox at noon on Sunday 13 September 2026, a date confirmed by the SPFL and reported by the Scotsman's report on the fixture announcement, which also states the match will be broadcast live on Premier Sports across television and online.
What history exists between Rangers and Celtic in recent cup competitions?
Celtic have had the upper hand over Rangers in cup competitions over the past season. Celtic knocked Rangers out of both major domestic cups last term, beating them on penalties at the semi-final stage of the Premier Sports Cup before going on to lose the final to St Mirren. The two rivals also met in the Scottish Cup last season, with the tie at Ibrox finishing 0-0 before Celtic again prevailed in a penalty shoot-out.
What happens next?
The four quarter-final ties are scheduled to be played across the weekend of 12-13 September 2026, according to The Scotsman's report on the draw. Alongside the Rangers-Celtic derby, Stenhousemuir will host last season's Scottish Premiership runners-up Hearts, Kilmarnock will welcome fellow top-flight side Aberdeen, and Ross County will receive Hibernian in the Highlands. Beyond the quarter-finals, the SPFL's fixture announcement confirms the semi-finals of the competition are planned for the weekend of 31 October/1 November 2026, meaning the winner of the Old Firm tie will face a further wait before learning their next opponent.
Key Facts
- Rangers will host Celtic at Ibrox at noon on Sunday 13 September 2026, the final of the four Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals to be played that weekend.
- Derek McInnes won his first game in charge against St Mirren, though reports differ on whether the score was 5-1 in normal time or 3-1 after extra time.
- Stenhousemuir beat Motherwell in extra time to keep manager Marvin Bartley unbeaten and reach the last eight, where they host Hearts on Friday at 19:45 BST.
- Kilmarnock will host Aberdeen and Ross County will host Hibernian (15:00) in the other two quarter-final ties.
- Celtic eliminated Rangers from both major domestic cups last season, winning on penalties in the League Cup semi-final and in the Scottish Cup after a 0-0 draw at Ibrox.
- The Premier Sports Cup semi-finals are scheduled for the weekend of 31 October/1 November 2026.
