Celtic and Rangers appeal Scottish FA closed-doors sanctions after Ibrox crowd trouble
Celtic and Rangers have formally lodged appeals against Scottish FA sanctions ordering both clubs to play their next Scottish Cup home ties behind closed doors following severe crowd disorder at Ibrox.
The Glasgow rivals are also contesting £100,000 financial penalties imposed on each club. Under the original ruling, both teams were handed a suspended sentence mandating a second fixture without fans should any further crowd disturbances take place at Scottish Cup games before the conclusion of next season. An appeal hearing has been scheduled for Monday, October 26.
March Chaos at Ibrox
The disciplinary action stems from their explosive Scottish Cup quarter-final encounter in March. Following a 0-0 stalemate, Celtic secured a 4-2 victory in the penalty shootout, which triggered a massive pitch invasion. Visiting supporters spilled onto the turf to celebrate, prompting sections of the home support to break past stewards and police to confront them.
Missiles, flares, and pyrotechnics were exchanged across the playing surface. Police Scotland confirmed that 43 arrests were made in connection with the unrest, which resulted in injuries to both police officers and stadium stewards.
The match marked the first Old Firm clash at Ibrox since 2018 in which Celtic were allocated the entire Broomloan Stand—totaling roughly 7,500 away supporters—to comply with Scottish Cup competition regulations.
Independent Review and Club Responses
An independent investigation led by Mark Blackbourne concluded that "crushing" and "life-threatening violence" were narrowly avoided during the chaos. The report found that Celtic ultras initially entered the field in celebration before Rangers' Union Bears staged a "reactionary, confrontational, and overtly threatening" charge onto the track and pitch.
The findings also noted as "deeply disturbing" that minutes from a post-match Safety Advisory Group meeting revealed experienced Police Scotland officers described feeling "petrified" of policing future fixtures at Ibrox.
When the original sanctions were handed down, Celtic strongly criticized the severity of the verdict, stating: "We are shocked by this disproportionate punishment for a relatively small incursion by Celtic supporters at a moment of emotion and celebration. Our club has never defended supporters entering the field of play and we have repeatedly taken action when it occurs... Another important distinction is that, on this occasion, Celtic were not the home club, responsible for stadium safety arrangements."
The fallout from the match has already had widespread ramifications across Scottish football. Following disputes over ticketing allocations and safety concerns, the SPFL intervened earlier this season to ban all away supporters from Old Firm fixtures in both the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup.