Celtic and Rangers ordered to play Scottish Cup matches behind closed doors

The Scottish Football Association has imposed unprecedented sanctions on Celtic and Rangers, ordering both Glasgow clubs to play their next home Scottish Cup fixtures behind closed doors following crowd disorder during last season's quarterfinal match at Ibrox. The ruling, announced on August 28, 2026, also requires each club to pay £100,000 in compensation to whichever team is drawn as the away side for those matches. The disciplinary action stems from the chaotic scenes that unfolded after Celtic defeated Rangers 4-2 on penalties following a goalless draw in the Scottish Cup quarterfinal on March 16, 2026. After the shootout, supporters from both teams invaded the pitch. An independent review commissioned by the SFA found that the incident narrowly avoided developing into a violent mass confrontation, with "life-threatening violence" averted only after police reestablished control. The disorder involved clashes between fans, with pyrotechnics and other missiles thrown, resulting in injuries to police officers and several arrests. A ten-year-old child was also reportedly struck by a coin.