Celtic and Rangers ordered to play Scottish Cup home ties behind closed doors

Celtic and Rangers have been ordered by the Scottish Football Association to play their next home Scottish Cup matches behind closed doors. The sanction follows the serious fan disorder that marred the end of last season's quarter-final between the two Glasgow rivals, which Celtic won on penalties at Ibrox.

• Celtic and Rangers will play their next home Scottish Cup tie without supporters.
• Each club must pay £100,000 to the team they are drawn against in that fixture.
• A second home match behind closed doors could follow if fans misbehave again in the Scottish Cup.
• An independent review found failings by both clubs and criticised the SFA's past approach.
• The punishment is expected to apply in the fourth round in mid-January.

What happened after the Celtic vs Rangers Scottish Cup tie

The incident dates back to the quarter-final played in March. Celtic booked their place in the semi-finals by beating Rangers in a penalty shootout at Ibrox. As soon as the tie was decided, fans of both teams spilled onto the pitch.

Supporters threw fireworks and other missiles during the disorder, several police officers were injured and a number of arrests were made. Police had to form a cordon on the pitch to separate the two sets of fans and prevent the situation from escalating.

The Scottish FA sanctions for both Glasgow clubs

The punishment means Celtic and Rangers will each play their next home match in the Scottish Cup with no fans in attendance. On top of that, both clubs will have to pay £100,000 to the team they are drawn against in that particular fixture.

The sanction also comes with a warning. If supporters of either side engage in unacceptable conduct again during a Scottish Cup match, the club involved will face a second home game without spectators.

When the behind closed doors punishment will take effect

The measures are likely to come into force when Celtic and Rangers enter this season's Scottish Cup at the fourth-round stage in the middle of January. That is the first round in which both clubs feature in the competition.

What the independent review found

Both clubs gave evidence to an independent judicial panel after being charged under the Scottish FA's disciplinary rule 37, which covers unacceptable conduct at matches. The independent review, published last month and led by Mark Blackbourne, identified failings by Celtic and Rangers and criticised the SFA for not taking a tougher approach to crowd disorder.

The incident came within a very small margin of becoming a violent mass confrontation.

The report noted that the events at Ibrox were dangerously close to turning into something far more serious. The severity of the sanction, unusual in recent years, reflects a clear shift in the governing body's approach.

A tougher stance on fan disorder in Scottish football

In the recent past, the SFA and the SPFL have handed down fines and, on occasion, reduced ticket allocations for issues such as the use of pyrotechnics. The severity of this punishment signals a different direction when it comes to dealing with a growing problem.

The SFA has not escaped criticism from the independent review, but the panel's report gave the governing body the backing it needed to get tougher. With both clubs defending their positions, the SFA will hope the sanctions send a clear message that unacceptable conduct will no longer be tolerated.