Celtic secured the Scottish Premiership title for the 14th time in 15 seasons by defeating Hearts 3-1 on the final day at Celtic Park in Glasgow on May 16, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. Hearts needed only a draw to win their first league title since 1960 but fell short despite leading the match [4, 5, 6, 3].
Hearts had led the league since September 2025 and entered the match ahead on both points and goal difference, putting them in position to claim the title after 66 years without a league win [7, 8, 6, 4]. Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland gave the visitors an early lead before Celtic equalized, setting the stage for a dramatic finish [1, 9].
The game’s turning point came with a controversial penalty awarded to Celtic in the 99th minute for handball by Hearts goalkeeper Alexandros Kyziridis, confirmed via VAR on a Kieran Tierney cross [4, 10, 1, 5]. This upset Hearts fans, staff, and media, who condemned the decision as "disgusting" and the "worst VAR decision ever," reflecting deep frustration with the video review process [4, 5]. Hearts manager Derek McInnes said, "I heard there was a 96-minute penalty - I didn't need to ask who for." [4]. Celtic manager Martin O’Neill spoke against aggression toward Hearts players, saying, "If some Hearts players have been accosted, then that's just not right at all." [9]
Following the penalty, Celtic’s Kelechi Iheanacho scored to keep the title race alive. Two late goals by Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand completed Celtic’s 3-1 comeback win in front of around 60,000 fans at the stadium [1, 9]. Hearts went into the match unbeaten against Celtic that season, with two wins and a draw against them prior [10, 8].
Thousands of Celtic fans celebrated the victory in Glasgow, but disorder broke out after the match, including bottles thrown at police and injuries to officers. Police reported 14 arrests connected to the incidents, with two officers seriously hurt [9, 11]. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland said, "I'm so grateful and we are very fortunate that only two officers have been injured on this occasion," and urged Celtic FC to work with authorities to prevent future trouble [11].
Hearts had only 752 seats allocated for their fans during the match at Celtic Park [6]. Edinburgh officials had prepared public safety measures for celebrations depending on the outcome [6].
On May 13, just three days before the finale, a late and controversial 99th-minute penalty allowed Celtic to win 3-2 at Motherwell, keeping them close in the title race while Hearts won 3-0 at Falkirk to edge closer to the crown [12, 7, 4, 10, 5].
The season ended with Celtic winning their 56th Scottish Premiership title, cementing dominance since the mid-1980s when only Aberdeen, Celtic, and Rangers had won the league [4, 5]. Hearts must wait after their long wait for a first title since 1960 remains unbroken.
