Television channel and online stream set for Celtic’s Scottish Cup final clash with Dunfermline today
Dunfermline Athletic have reached their sixth Scottish Cup final, setting up a meeting with Celtic at Hampden Park on Saturday, 23 May. The Championship side booked their place in the showpiece after a remarkable run that saw them dispatch top-flight opposition in the shape of Hibernian and Aberdeen, alongside Falkirk, to seal a date with the record 42-time winners of the competition.
For Dunfermline, this final represents a chance to add to a proud if distant history. The club’s most celebrated period came in the 1960s, when they lifted the trophy for the first time in 1961 — remarkably, that victory came against Celtic in a replayed final — and again in 1968 under Jock Stein and George Farm respectively. This will be the fifth time the two sides have met in a Scottish Cup final, with Celtic having won the last four encounters: 3–2 in 1965, 3–1 in 2004, 1–0 in 2007, and the aforementioned 1961 replay going Dunfermline’s way. Neil Lennon’s side, currently fourth in the Championship with a “good” overall form rating and a notably “very good” away record, will enter the match as clear underdogs but with the memory of that 1961 upset to draw upon.
Celtic’s turbulent season and history of dominance
Celtic, meanwhile, come into the final aiming to avoid a third consecutive domestic cup final loss. The club has endured a tumultuous 12 months on and off the pitch. Brendan Rodgers, who returned for a second stint in June 2023 and led the club to unprecedented domestic success — including trebles and an unbeaten league season — resigned on 27 October 2025 after a 3–1 defeat to Hearts. His departure was marked by strong criticism from major shareholder Dermot Desmond, who accused Rodgers of “divisive,” “misleading” and “self-serving” behaviour.
Following Rodgers’ exit, the legendary Martin O’Neill stepped in as interim manager — the first of two spells either side of the ill-fated appointment of Wilfried Nancy. Nancy’s tenure lasted just 33 days, from December 2025 to January 2026, and was described as disastrous; he lost six of his eight matches, including a 3–1 defeat to Rangers in the Old Firm derby, before being sacked. Despite arriving with a strong reputation from MLS — where he won the MLS Cup and was named Coach of the Year — Nancy described his Celtic experience as a “beautiful experience.” O’Neill returned again on 5 January 2026 and guided the team to the league title, becoming the second-oldest manager to win the Scottish top-flight at the age of 74.
Celtic’s current manager is once again Brendan Rodgers, who was reappointed in circumstances the club hopes will bring stability. The squad is fully fit, and the match will carry added emotion as goalkeeper Joe Hart prepares to play his final professional game before retirement. Key players expected to feature include captain Callum McGregor, Matt O’Riley, Reo Hatate, Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and James Forrest. Celtic holds the record for the most Scottish Cup wins with 42 titles, having first lifted the trophy in 1892, and have appeared in a record 61 finals.
How to watch Celtic vs Dunfermline
The Scottish Cup final is one of the events reserved for live broadcast on terrestrial television in Scotland. The match will be shown live on BBC One Scotland and Premier Sports 2. Coverage begins at 2pm BST on Premier Sports 2 and at 2.15pm on BBC One Scotland, ahead of a 3pm kick-off at Hampden Park. Fans can also stream the game via the Premier Sports Player app and website, as well as through the BBC Sport app, BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer.
For Dunfermline, a sixth final appearance offers the chance to emulate the feats of their 1960s predecessors; for Celtic, it is an opportunity to end a run of cup final disappointment and give Joe Hart a send-off befitting his standing in the game.
