Celtic and Rangers have both appealed the Scottish FA order to play their next home Scottish Cup ties behind closed doors after the crowd trouble at Ibrox. The appeal hearing is set for October 26. It keeps the focus on the punishment rather than the football, especially after Police Scotland arrested 43 people and an independent review warned that far worse was narrowly avoided.

The sanction both clubs are fighting

The disciplinary row now sits above the result itself. Both clubs are challenging the same punishment, with the Scottish FA having ordered each side to stage its next home Scottish Cup tie without supporters.

Celtic's stance has already been clear, with the club quoted by skysports.com as saying it was "shocked" by the decision and viewing it as a "disproportionate punishment". Rangers are also appealing, which is notable given how little the two clubs usually agree on in any Old Firm case.

The hearing date matters because this has not been settled quickly or quietly. October 26 is now the key date in the case, and the sanction has not disappeared in the meantime.

There is also a football backdrop, even if it is secondary here. Celtic are top of the Premiership with 18 points from 7 games, while Rangers are second with 16 points from 7. Rangers have won their last five league games, and Celtic have won four of their last five, so neither club goes into this process from a position of domestic weakness.

The review's warning over what nearly happened

The strongest detail in the case remains Mark Blackbourne's independent review. Quoted by skysports.com, Blackbourne used the word "crushing" and also warned of "life-threatening violence".

That language is severe, and it is hard to dismiss when set against the number of arrests and the sequence of events described in the review. The report said: "The Celtic Ultras were the first to enter the pitch in jubilation, with others following their lead."

It also drew a distinction in how the two groups moved, while still pointing to danger from both sides. Blackbourne wrote: "In contrast, the Union Bears' movement onto the track and towards the pitch was reactionary, confrontational, and overtly threatening. In both cases, the proximity of these groups to the playing surface materially increased the likelihood of a mass incursion and contributed to the rapid escalation of disorder."

That is why the behind closed doors sanction has real backing, even if both clubs dislike it. A review describing a realistic risk of crushing and life-threatening violence gives the Scottish FA a serious safety basis for acting.

The report went further. It said the post-match pitch invasion by several hundred Celtic supporters was "wholly inexcusable" and that it provoked an immediate hostile response from sections of the home support who forced past stewards and police to reach the pitch. Blackbourne also said one police description of the risk remained "deeply disturbing for Scottish football" and required "the most serious attention from all parties with responsibility for the governance of safety and security at major football fixtures in Scotland."

The match details and what comes next

One point still needs to stay accurate amid all the noise around the case. Celtic progressed from that Scottish Cup quarter-final after a goalless draw at Ibrox and a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Rangers. It was not a 4-2 win in normal time.

The crowd context helps explain why the review was so concerned. There were around 7,500 away fans at that game, compared with around 2,500 away fans at the league meeting between Rangers and Celtic the previous weekend. Rangers then allocated just 300 tickets to Celtic for their League Cup match at Ibrox this month, another sign of how heavily the fallout has landed on fixture planning.

Both clubs now wait for October 26, when the appeal against the behind closed doors sanction will be heard.

FAQ

Why are Celtic and Rangers appealing the Scottish FA sanction?

Both clubs are appealing after being ordered to play their next home Scottish Cup ties behind closed doors following the crowd trouble at Ibrox. The appeal hearing is set for October 26, with the sanction tied to the disorder rather than any criminal finding.

What did the Mark Blackbourne review say about the Old Firm disorder at Ibrox?

The independent review led by Mark Blackbourne warned that crushing and life-threatening violence were narrowly avoided. It said Celtic supporters were first onto the pitch, while Rangers supporters' movement towards the pitch was reactionary, confrontational and overtly threatening.

How serious was the trouble after the Old Firm Scottish Cup tie?

Police Scotland arrested 43 people following the scenes at Ibrox. Blackbourne's review described the post-match pitch invasion by several hundred Celtic supporters as wholly inexcusable and said the proximity of both groups to the playing surface increased the risk of a mass incursion.

Did Celtic beat Rangers 4-2 in normal time in that Scottish Cup match?

No. The match finished goalless at Ibrox before Celtic progressed with a 4-2 win in the penalty shoot-out. That detail matters because some retellings blur the scoreline, but the verified result was a draw followed by penalties.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →