Celtic secured a 3-2 victory at Motherwell on May 13, 2026, with Kelechi Iheanacho converting a last-minute penalty after a VAR handball review, lifting Celtic closer to the Scottish Premiership title [1, 2]. The penalty was awarded deep into stoppage time despite no player from Celtic appealing for the handball, sparking controversy [3, 4].
The spot-kick came following a handball by Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson, confirmed by VAR, allowing Celtic to snatch a crucial win that reduced their gap to league leaders Hearts to one point ahead of the season finale [1, 3, 4]. On the same day, Hearts defeated Falkirk 3-0, maintaining their slim lead in the title race [1, 5, 6].
The decisive match is scheduled for May 16, when Celtic will host Hearts at Celtic Park to determine the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership champion [1, 3, 4]. This contest breaks a historic pattern dominated for decades by the Old Firm, with Hearts last winning the league in 1960 [7, 6].
Hearts manager Derek McInnes praised his squad’s belief in winning the league, saying, "It’s nice to be able to hear ‘Hearts could win the league at Tynecastle.’ I have an unshakable belief we can do this and I believe the squad think that as well" [7]. However, McInnes also criticized the late penalty awarded to Celtic as "disgusting" and referenced an earlier incident where a Hearts penalty appeal was denied, adding to concerns over referee decisions this season [7, 8].
The referee who awarded the controversial penalty, John Beaton, has been placed under police protection following online threats and a leak of personal information after the match [3, 4, 8]. The Scottish FA condemned the hostile reaction, stating, "John Beaton and his family spent last night at home under police surveillance following a leak of personal details online. Such vigilantism, motivated by decisions perceived to be right or wrong on a field of play, is a scourge on our national game" [3]. The FA criticized a hysterical media narrative and irresponsible post-match commentary for exacerbating threats against officials [3, 4, 8].
The Scottish Premiership title will be decided on May 16 at Celtic Park, where Celtic and Hearts meet in a winner-takes-all clash to crown the champion.
