Celtic and Rangers are currently awaiting a decision from the Scottish Football Association’s appellate tribunal regarding their appeals against an order that forces them to play their upcoming home Scottish Cup matches without any supporters in attendance. The two clubs presented their arguments on Monday, after the tribunal entered a period of deliberation before announcing whether the sanctions will remain in force.
The order to close the stadiums was issued in late August following a violent incident at the end of last season’s quarter‑final tie at Ibrox. Celtic won that match on penalties, but the pitch was marred by a clash between supporters that saw fireworks and other projectiles thrown, injuring police officers and leading to 43 arrests by 25 August. Both clubs were also fined £100,000 for the disorder and warned that a second home match could be played behind closed doors if further unacceptable behaviour occurs.
An independent review published in July found that the incident “came within a very small margin of becoming a violent mass confrontation.” Led by Mark Blackbourne, the report highlighted failures by both clubs and criticised the SFA for not adopting a tougher stance on crowd disorder. As a result, an agreement was reached in September to bar away fans from all Old Firm derbies in this season’s SPFL competitions.
The appellate tribunal will now decide whether the penalties, including the stadium closures and fines, stand. The outcome will determine whether Celtic and Rangers can host supporters at their next home Scottish Cup fixtures, or whether the clubs will have to play those games in empty stadiums. The clubs’ future fixtures and the broader impact on the Scottish football calendar will hinge on the tribunal’s ruling, which is expected to be announced shortly.