Celtic and Rangers have both appealed against a decision by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) to ban them from hosting their next Scottish Cup matches in front of fans. The clubs are also contesting fines of £100,000 each, which were imposed after fan violence occurred at the end of last season's Old Firm quarter-final at Ibrox Park. The appeal hearing has been set for Monday, 26 October, and both clubs could face another match without supporters if they are found to have violated the rules again. Celtic expressed surprise at the severity of the punishment, calling it "disproportionate" for a minor incident involving supporters during a moment of emotional celebration. The club emphasized that it does not condone fans entering the field of play and has taken action when such incidents occur. However, they argued that the context of the event—where Celtic were not the home team and thus not responsible for stadium safety—should have been considered in the decision. Both clubs admitted to the original charges brought by the SFA, and Rangers have said they will wait for the appeal outcome before deciding how to respond. The incident, which occurred in March, led to 43 arrests and injuries to police officers and stewards. Fans threw objects and pyrotechnics, and an independent review found that a "crushing incident was a real and foreseeable risk" due to "non-compliant Ultra group fans surging past police and stewards." To prevent further incidents, an agreement was reached earlier this month to ban away fans from Old Firm derbies in this season's Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) competitions. The SFA has warned both clubs that continued unacceptable behavior could result in more severe sanctions, including further matches behind closed doors.