Celtic’s upcoming match away to St Johnstone which was scheduled for next month has now been postponed at Celtic’s request due to the Champions League play-off tie…
In an update on their official website today the SPFL confirmed a number of postponement or potential postponements for the third round of Scottish Premiership matches, including Celtic visit to McDiarmid Park in Perth to face St Johnstone.
This match has now been postponed at Celtic’s request as the Scottish Champions opts to take the time to prepare for their Champions League qualifier, with the opponent yet to be decided.
The SPFL update confirms that various matches have already been postponed with others likely to follow depending on results in earlier European qualification ties for both the Europa League and the Conference League. The update reads as follows:
WILLIAM HILL PREMIERSHIP FIXTURE ROUND 3 UPDATE
POSTPONEMENTS DUE TO UEFA PLAY-OFFS | DUNDEE DERBY SELECTED FOR LIVE BROADCAST
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) can today provide an update on the William Hill Premiership fixtures for the weekend of August 22/23.
As was the case last season, clubs involved in the play-offs of a UEFA competition have the right to postpone their William Hill Premiership round three fixture without the need for the agreement of their opponents.
This policy was approved by the SPFL Board in April 2025, following a recommendation from the Competitions Working Group, to support clubs aiming to reach the league phase of UEFA competitions.
The deadline for 2026/27 was today, Friday July 24, and the SPFL can confirm that all five clubs competing in Europe this season – Celtic, Heart of Midlothian, Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian – have requested a postponement of their league fixture.
The impacted William Hill Premiership matches will be rescheduled for either the exclusive Champions League midweek (September 8/9) or the exclusive Europa League midweek (September 15/16), with details to be published following the UEFA league phase draws at the end of August.
The current position for the William Hill Premiership matches on the weekend of August 22/23 is below, with the Dundee derby selected for live coverage on Premier Sports:
Dundee United v Dundee – Saturday August 22 (Premier Sports, 5.45pm)
Falkirk v Heart of Midlothian – will be postponed if Heart of Midlothian are involved in the play-offs of any of the three UEFA competitions
Hibernian v Kilmarnock – will be postponed if Hibernian are involved in the Conference League play-offs
Motherwell v Aberdeen – will be postponed if Motherwell are involved in the Conference League play-offs
Rangers P-P St Mirren – match postponed as Rangers will be involved in the play-offs of the Europa League or the Conference League
St Johnstone P-P Celtic – match postponed as Celtic are involved in the Champions League play-offs
Celtic opted against taking advantage of this postponement opportunity last season, going ahead with a league fixture at Celtic Park against Livingston, which Brendan Rodgers’ side won comfortably before drawing with Kairat Almaty the following midweek.
It makes perfect sense for the clubs participating in European qualifiers to opt to enforce a postponement for their match and it may not be the daftest idea for the SPFL to look at leaving the third weekend of the season empty, perhaps by starting the season a week earlier on an ongoing basis from next season.
While Motherwell opted with a 2-0 home win in their Conference League first leg qualifier against HB, both Edinburgh sides lost, Hearts losing 4-0 to Strum Graz and Hibs getting beat 2-0 by Kosovo minnows KF Malisheva.
That Hibs result incidentally is now the worst ever European result in Scottish football history, taking that unwanted accolade from Celtic for the defeat to Red Imps in Gibraltar back in 2016.
Celtic’s play-off round first leg will be played on August 18 or 19. The return tie will be played one week later on August 25 or 26 so with the St Johnstone game that was initially sandwiched in between the two Champions League play-off ties out the way, we surely have increased our chances slightly? The winner advances to the Champions League proper and that will be worth around £40m to Celtic.
Should we lose the play-off yet again the team will have the parachute of the Europa League once more, going into the League phase as happened last season after that dreadful result against Kairat Almaty.
So good news from the SPFL today, all we need now is for the Celtic Board to do their bit by spending some money on players.
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