Celtic vs Falkirk: Scottish Premiership preview, predictions team news and TV info
After what occurred in Northern Austria on Tuesday night, it feels as though we could all with a break from Celtic right now. Nevertheless, players and supporters alike need to somehow refocus, because matches continue to come thick and fast. So, here is our guide to Saturday's clash with Falkirk.
Celtic vs Falkirk match info
Date: Saturday 29 August 2026.
Kick off times: 3pm (local) & 10am (ET)
Competition: Scottish Premiership
Venue: Parkhead - Glasgow, Scotland.
How to watch: Not on TV (UK) and Celtic Player (International).
How can I watch Celtic vs Falkirk?
This match is not being broadcast live in the UK due to the 3pm blackout rule. Celtic Player subscribers anywhere else in the world can watch the match via the club's in-house channel.
Celtic vs Falkirk match preview
After seeing their Champions League dreams go up in flames on Tuesday, are Celtic able to bounce back? The Hoops won the first leg of their play-off tie 3-0 against LASK, before even going in front in Linz thanks to Callum McGregor's strike. However, a complete capitulation at Raiffeisen Arena saw the Celts beaten 5-1 after extra time, and they were lucky to only concede five.
Celtic fans have had to endure some bad European defeats in recent years, none more so than Kairat a year ago, but this now surely supplants that in the number one spot. Before this, optimism had been sky-high, with Martin O'Neill's team winning four out of four. Last time out domestically, the Celts demolished Kilmarnock 5-1 at Rugby Park and then Dundee United 4-0 at Tannadice in the League Cup. Now though, will the champions experience a Champions League hangover?
Falkirk meantime have had three weeks to prepare for this trip to Glasgow, but will that be a help or a hinderance? The Bairns were not in League Cup action, having been eliminated in the group stages, before last weekend's clash with Hearts was postponed to help the Jambos' European push.
When last we did see John McGlynn's team in action, they held Motherwell to a credible goalless draw at Fir Park. Before that, Falkirk were though beaten 2-0 by St Mirren on the opening weekend, so are yet to score a goal this season. The Hoops have won their last nine meetings with the Bairns, scoring 27 goals, and a first Falkirk win at Parkhead since 1994 seems highly unlikely on Saturday.
Celtic team news
Callum McGregor is a doubt, having missed training earlier in the week after suffering a knock in Linz. Meantime, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kieran Tierney are expected to be available, despite coming off in mid-week, albeit Alistair Johnston remains sidelined.
If Martin O'Neill wants to freshen up his team, Haissem Hassan could come in to start for the first time, with Reo Hatate hoping to get the nod in midfield.
Lastly, it was confirmed this week that Yang Hyun-jun has been included in Korea Republic's squad for the Asian Games. This means he will miss the Hoops' Europa League opener, as well as both Glasgow derbies, albeit a Gold Medal would make the 24 year old exempt from military service.
Falkirk team news
Falkirk will certainly be fresh, following 20 days without a game, so John McGlynn will not need to change very much. Former Celtic goalkeeper Scott Bain will be donning the gloves, while striker Ben Parkinson scored three times during the League Cup group stages, so can he bag the Bairns' first Premiership goal of the campaign.
Predicted Line-ups
Celtic predicted lineup: Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Tierney; Hatate, Baur, Nygren; Hassan, Yang Hyun-jun, Durán.
Falkirk predicted lineup: Bain; Strain, Neilson, Henderson, McCann; Krauhaus, Barbrook, Doherty, Yeats, Ross; Parkinson.
Score prediction: Celtic 3-0 Falkirk.
