Celtic and Rangers hit with closed-door Scottish Cup ban after Ibrox trouble

Celtic and Rangers have been ordered to play their next home match in the Scottish Cup without supporters after the crowd trouble that overshadowed last season's quarter-final at Ibrox. The Scottish Football Association's decision follows an independent review which found that crushing and life-threatening violence were narrowly avoided.

• Celtic and Rangers will host their next Scottish Cup tie behind closed doors.
• Each club must pay £100,000 to their opponents for lost gate receipts.
• An independent review found crushing and life-threatening violence were narrowly avoided.
• Dozens of arrests followed clashes between fans after Celtic won on penalties.
• Any repeat of crowd disorder within two seasons will trigger another closed-door match.

What happened during the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox

The punishment stems from the tie played in March, when Celtic won on penalties and their supporters poured onto the pitch in celebration. The incursion quickly escalated as Rangers fans confronted the visiting supporters already on the playing surface, leading to dozens of arrests and chaotic scenes at one of British football's most historic grounds.

An independent review into those events delivered a stark conclusion: the mass movement of people created a real risk of crushing, while the level of aggression brought the potential for serious, life-threatening injury.

The Scottish FA punishment for Celtic and Rangers

A disciplinary hearing at Hampden ruled that both clubs failed to prevent unacceptable conduct by their supporters. The sanction means the stadium will be closed for each club's next home Scottish Cup fixture, with an additional payment of £100,000 to the visiting side as compensation for the revenue lost from the empty stands.

The ruling also carries a clear warning: if a similar episode of crowd trouble occurs in the Scottish Cup during the next two seasons, another behind-closed-doors punishment will be applied automatically.

Celtic call the punishment disproportionate

Celtic reacted quickly to the decision, describing the penalty as disproportionate and expressing shock at its severity. The club argued that the incursion by its supporters was relatively small and happened in a moment of emotion and celebration following a penalty shoot-out victory.

Another important distinction is that, on this occasion, Celtic were not the home club and were not responsible for stadium safety arrangements.

The Glasgow club stressed that it has never defended fans entering the field of play and has repeatedly taken action when it has occurred. Celtic had expected the panel to consider the context and the differences in behaviour between the two sets of supporters, and will now study the full written reasoning before deciding on any next steps.

Upcoming Old Firm matches and Scottish Cup dates to remember

The ban does not affect the upcoming meetings between the clubs. Rangers host Celtic in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals on Sunday 13 September, with another Old Firm clash scheduled in the Premiership on Sunday 20 September.

The closed-door measure applies only to the Scottish Cup. Premiership clubs enter the competition in the fourth round, which is set for the weekend of Saturday 16 January 2027. The fifth round follows in February and the quarter-finals in March, before the semi-finals at the neutral venue of Hampden.

A long history of tension between the Glasgow rivals

The Glasgow derby is one of the most emotionally charged fixtures in European football. The rivalry between Celtic and Rangers reaches far beyond sport and has repeatedly led to exceptional security measures for every Old Firm meeting, whether in the league or in cup competitions.

The Ibrox disorder has once again focused attention on the behaviour of a section of both fan groups and on the need to tighten controls at entrances and inside the stands. With this sanction, the Scottish FA has made clear that further pitch invasions or confrontations between supporters will not be tolerated.