Hearts v Falkirk will be shown live after the SPFL granted special dispensation for the match, a clear sign that this title race has become impossible to treat as a normal run-in. Hearts are one point clear after Celtic beat Rangers 3-1 and Hearts drew with Motherwell, and Neil Doncaster said Sky Sports and Heart of Midlothian agreed to make the game available to the widest possible audience. Hearts are also eyeing their first title in 66 years.
Why the SPFL made the change
The key point is simple enough: Hearts had already reached their allotted home league games, but the league still made an exception so the Falkirk fixture could be broadcast. Doncaster said, "This has been an incredible season in the William Hill Premiership." He added, "With the title race reaching such a pivotal stage, we have reached an agreement with Heart of Midlothian and Sky Sports to make the Hearts v Falkirk match available to the widest possible audience."
That is sensible from the SPFL's point of view. If Hearts are one point clear and the trophy is still being decided across the final two rounds, this is exactly the kind of match that should not be hidden away.
What the run-in means for Hearts and Celtic
The race now has a wider edge than the domestic table alone. Hearts will play in the Champions League qualifiers next season for the first time in 20 years, while the Scottish Premiership runners-up still face three ties before reaching the league phase.
For Celtic, the 3-1 win over Rangers guarantees a top-two finish, so the European stakes are already fixed even if the title is not. For Hearts, the next home game has become the obvious focal point, not just because of the league position, but because the club are trying to turn a one-point lead into their first championship in 66 years.
Doncaster said the league is looking forward to "the final two rounds as the destiny of the trophy is decided." That is the right frame for it. The broadcasting decision is not window dressing, it is the league responding to a title race that is still live and still close enough to merit the biggest possible audience.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
