Scottish Premiership title race: Celtic and Hearts set for final-day decider, live on Sky Sports, after season like no other
Celtic are one point behind Premiership leaders Hearts ahead of the final game of the season; Hearts have not won the top-flight title since 1960; watch Hearts vs Celtic on Saturday, live on Sky from 11.30am
Friday 15 May 2026 19:12, UK
It is the title race the world is watching and it all comes down to one final showdown, live on Sky Sports.
If Hearts avoid defeat at Celtic Park, they will be crowned Scottish Premiership champions for the first time since 1960. However, the Hoops know a win at home will see them successfully defend the title.
Hearts have led the way virtually all season, and can take confidence into Saturday's decider in the knowledge that they have not lost to Celtic this campaign.
- Q&A: Was Celtic penalty 'worst VAR decision in history' or 'clear cut'?
- 'Disgusting' - Hearts boss McInnes slams last-gasp Celtic penalty decision
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But Celtic, with Martin O'Neill having returned twice this season to steady the ship, have dragged themselves right back into title contention.
Since losing to Dundee United at Tannadice Park in March, they have won seven in a row in all competitions, with six in the league cutting Hearts' lead at the top to a solitary point.
Do not expect a straightforward afternoon in the East End of Glasgow.
Wild Wednesday to a deciding day
Saturday's title decider didn't need any ramping up. However, it got it.
For 10 minutes on Wednesday night, the Jambos were in dreamland as they led Falkirk, while Celtic trailed at Motherwell. Hearts' lead was set to be three points going into Saturday, plus they would have had a better goal difference of six.
However, last-gasp penalty controversy at Fir Park saw the Hoops move to within a point and will make it five-in-a-row with victory. It has been a season like no other.
O'Neill: Everyone wants Hearts to win
Debate has raged since the decision to award Celtic that match-winning penalty at Fir Park.
For O'Neill the reaction has added to the determination to retain the league title.
"I'm not surprised because everybody wants Hearts to win. It's really as simple as that.
"Everybody outside Celtic and the Celtic diaspora wants Hearts to win. And if it wasn't Hearts, it'd be Rangers, it'd be somebody else. That's the nature of it.
"If Hearts win or draw the game, then they deserve to win the league. If we can win, then somewhere along the way, I think we deserve to win it.
"It's the number of points that you end up with at the end of the season that determines these things.
"In terms of the atmosphere, it will be electric. There's no question about it.
"We seem to have a bit of a unified situation at Celtic Park, which has been massive for the side. I don't think it should be underestimated.
"This [handball rule] should be a major point of discussion in the summer time to have a look again to see what they're doing. Sometimes in European football, it's a bit different to ours. It shouldn't be, it should be uniform and straightforward.
"This accidental handball, hands in unnatural positions, people being pushed into situations - all of that has to be looked at. But as the rules stand at this minute, that was a penalty."
McInnes ready to 'rip up the script'
Hearts could feel hard done by after being denied a penalty in their 1-1 draw at Motherwell before Celtic were awarded a late spot-kick in Lanarkshire.
But for Hearts boss Derek McInnes, the focus is on clinching the title and not on hard luck stories.
"It's been perfect in the sense that it's the full kind of outcome of drama. The two teams who can win the title head-to-head, they couldn't get scripted any better than that," he told Sky Sports News.
"It's unusual in that sense. For us, at the start of the week, it was two big games and we wanted to make sure we were in this position with a chance to win it on Saturday. We expected Celtic to win their game.
"Martin has done a great job. The players have done a good job to drag themselves back into it.
"They will think probably that everything's back on script, a home game to win the title, when they've won so many titles over the last wee while. But, it's up to us.
"Can we keep ripping the script up?
"We have ripped the script up this season and I think from the first game of the season, nobody would have anticipated that we could be in this position.
"But we deserve to be there and we go there confident and bullish and full of belief that we can get the result."
'Impossible to predict' - what the pundits say
Sky Sports' Kris Boyd
"It's incredible for Scottish football. It just sums up this season. From start to finish, it's been one hell of a story," said Boyd.
"For Hearts, what a story it would be. They have been outstanding all season
"But Celtic, they've never went away and they've just kept on going.
"What an opportunity they've got to deliver a fifth league title as well.
"Both clubs will go into it feeling that they can get the result."
Sky Sports' Chris Sutton
"Hearts are in a position where they go to Celtic Park and get their point and that'll be enough for them to secure it. They've been a phenomenal story.
"Everybody talks about the Jamestown and I get that, but Derek McInnes has done an incredible job.
"I think in truth we all felt early on in the season, there'll be some point in the season where Hearts fall away and they haven't.
"People talk about the drop-off at Celtic and Rangers, but Hearts have just concerned themselves with themselves and they've had such a brilliant season.
"Celtic have just somehow clung on it. Under Martin O'Neill, just shown the spirit and resilience.
"Now going into the final game, Celtic at home, there's supposed harmony now in there at Celtic Park and that may carry weight.
"But there could yet be another twist and turn and it'll be absolutely epic on Saturday.
"For a long while now, I've thought that Celtic are not going to find a way and they've got to this point.
"But I wouldn't rule Hearts out. They've got Claudio Braga, they've got Lawrence Shankland, who's the best finisher in the league.
"Hearts go into this game in good form and they need to take that confidence to Celtic Park.
"I've tipped Hearts for a while now, but I think it's impossible to predict."
