Celtic and Rangers ordered to close stadiums for next home Scottish Cup ties

Celtic and Rangers have each been ordered to play their next home match in the Scottish Cup behind closed doors after disciplinary proceedings linked to disorder at their March quarter-final. BBC Sport reported the sanctions on Friday, and the Scottish Football Association's published disciplinary record confirms that separate tribunals imposed the same immediate measures on both Glasgow clubs.

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Each club must pay £100,000 to the away team drawn for its next home tie. The Scottish FA says that payment is due within 30 days after the match has been completed. The orders apply to the clubs' next home fixtures in the competition, regardless of the identity of their opponents; they do not require the next meeting between Celtic and Rangers itself to take place without spectators.

The cases arose from the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox on March 8, 2026. Celtic advanced after a penalty shootout, before supporters from both teams entered the pitch. BBC Sport reported that police and stewards separated rival groups and that a number of arrests followed the disorder.

Both complaints were brought under Scottish FA disciplinary Rule 37, which places responsibilities on participating clubs to take reasonably practicable steps to maintain order and prevent unacceptable conduct by their supporters. The association's record lists Celtic's hearing on August 13 and Rangers' hearing on August 24. In each case, the tribunal reached its decision unanimously.

The immediate stadium closures are accompanied by suspended sanctions running until the end of the 2027-28 season. If either club again fails to ensure that its supporters avoid unacceptable conduct at a Scottish Cup fixture during that period, that club faces another home cup match behind closed doors and a further £100,000 compensatory payment to the relevant away side.

The Scottish FA had already commissioned an independent review of the March fixture, examining planning, safety, security and medical arrangements around the match. The latest decisions now establish the competitive consequences for both clubs, although the opponents and dates affected will depend on future Scottish Cup draws and whether each side receives a home tie.