Celtic retain Scottish Premiership title as Hearts’ title challenge collapses

Celtic have retained the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership title, extending the combined league championship tally of the Old Firm to 111 since the competition’s inception. Hearts of Midlothian finished as runners-up, concluding a campaign that saw them briefly challenge for the top spot before a significant collapse in the final weeks of the season. The result reinforces the historical stranglehold of the Glasgow-based clubs, with Aberdeen remaining the last non-Old Firm side to win the league, achieving back-to-back championships in 1984/85 under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Hearts’ title hopes were galvanised by early-season victories against their rivals, including a 3-1 win at Celtic Park on 26 October 2025 and a 2-1 victory on 7 December. These results positioned the Edinburgh club as genuine contenders, capitalising on a period of instability for the defending champions. However, Celtic’s form improved markedly following the re-appointment of manager Martin O’Neill, who replaced Wilfried Nancy. The managerial change reignited the champions’ campaign, shifting the momentum away from Hearts as the season progressed.

The turning point for Hearts arrived in February 2026, when they suffered a significant defeat to Rangers. This loss, combined with a failure to secure points in the final week of the season, allowed Celtic to pull clear and secure the championship. The outcome marks the 111th combined title for Celtic and Rangers, highlighting the enduring disparity between the Old Firm and the rest of the Scottish football pyramid.

Celtic’s 2026 victory represents their 56th all-time domestic league title, giving them a slim one-title lead over Rangers, who have won 55 championships. The historical gap between the two clubs was widened during Rangers’ period of liquidation and re-entry into the fourth tier of Scottish football between 2012 and 2016. During this period, Celtic secured nine successive titles from 2011/12 to 2019/20, while Rangers were unable to compete in the top flight.

Despite their recent near-miss, Hearts have a historic precedent for success, having won four Scottish league titles in total: in 1894/95, 1896/97, 1957/58, and 1959/60. The club has finished as runners-up on five occasions, with two of those near-misses in 1964/65 and 1985/86 decided by goal average or differential tiebreakers. The 2025/26 season concludes with the Old Firm’s dominance intact, leaving the rest of the country waiting for the next potential shift in the league’s power structure.