In-form Premiership champions Celtic have won 11 of their last 12 fixtures in all competitions.
Dunfermline haven’t appeared in a Scottish Cup Final since losing the 2006/07 showpiece against Celtic (0-1).
Recommended bet: Over 2.5 Celtic goals
With the dust still settling on their dramatic last-day title win, Premiership champions Celtic are targeting more silverware in the form of the Scottish Cup when they collide with Dunfermline at Hampden Park on Saturday, 23rd May.
Unsurprisingly, Martin O’Neill’s side are heavy favourites to complete another domestic double this weekend against a Dunfermline outfit who operate in Scotland’s second tier.
Yet, the Pars, who are managed by former Celtic boss and captain Neil Lennon, have shown remarkable fortitude during their run to the final, dumping big hitters like Hibernian and Aberdeen out in the competition’s earlier rounds.
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Celtic vs Dunfermline team news
The treatment room at Celtic is busy and Martin O'Neil could be without up to eight players for Saturday's Scottish Cup Final.
Kasper Schmeichel remains a doubt, which means Viljami Sinisalo is likely to retain his place between the sticks. Loanee Julian Araujo still isn't fully fit and might have played his last game for the club.
Colby Donovan, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Adam Montgomery, Jota, Callum Osmand and Tomás Cvancara are also likely to be sidelined.
Kelechi Iheanacho, who made such a big impact off the bench against Hearts last weekend, might have done enough to earn a start at Hampden Park. The 29-year-old also bagged a crucial brace in Celtic’s cup semi-final win over St. Mirren in April.
For Dunfermline, the picture is similar. Freddie Turley picked up an ankle injury against Airdrie and has returned to parent club, Derby.
Playmaker Graham Carey misses out for compassionate grounds, while striker Zak Rudden is still nursing a shoulder complaint and won't play. Defender Ewan Otoo and attacker Olly Thomas are also injured.
Celtic vs Dunfermline stats
Celtic lost last year’s Scottish Cup Final to Aberdeen after a penalty shootout, though the Glaswegian giants remain the competition’s most successful team and have won the cup 42 times in their history, including six of the tournament’s last nine iterations.
Dunfermline, twice winners, haven’t lifted the cup since 1968, though they have made two more recent appearances in the final since then in 2004 and 2007, losing to Saturday’s opponents Celtic on each occasion.
In the lead-up to Saturday’s clash, the Pars’ form has been patchy. They’ve failed to win seven of their last ten games, and they endured heartbreak in their last outing, losing a Championship playoff semi-final against Partick Thistle, which dashed their promotion hopes.
In contrast, Celtic have been motoring over the past couple of months and have manufactured wins in 11 of their last 12 fixtures. The Bhoys’ last-gasp 3-1 triumph over Hearts last weekend allowed them to snatch the Premiership title from the Jambos’ grip. That was the fifth time in six games that Celtic scored three or more goals.
Pars boss Neil Lennon won the Scottish Cup eight times as a player and manager at Celtic.
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Celtic vs Dunfermline Prediction
Saturday’s final is the very definition of a “David vs Goliath” club clash, though Dunfermline’s chances of performing a giant killing against Celtic at Hampden Park are virtually nil.
While the Scottish Cup Final is more or less a free hit for the Championship outfit, the gap in class between Dunfermline and Celtic is just too significant and bettors should dismiss any romantic notions of backing a big-price upset this weekend.
Instead, everything points to a routine afternoon for the Hoops. Celtic have been in fine goal-scoring form in recent weeks and have notched 3+ goals in five of their last six assignments, and that was against higher-calibre opponents than Dunfermline.
In fact, Neil Lennon’s side are in a slump and have failed to score in four of their last eight games. Logic suggests the Pars will struggle to match Celtic’s superior firepower on Saturday.
Match result odds offer little value here, though backing Celtic to score over 2.5 goals at prices approaching evens could provide a better avenue to profit.
Score Prediction – Celtic 3-0 Dunfermline
More Celtic vs Dunfermline predictions and recommended bets
Recommended bet | Stat |
Daizen Maeda to score anytime – 13/10 | Maeda has scored eight times in his last six appearances for Celtic in league and cup. |
Over 7.5 Celtic corners | Celtic have won at least eight corners in three of their last five fixtures. |
Celtic -1.0 goal handicap – 4/7 | Celtic have scored 3+ goals in five of their last six games while Dunfermline have failed to score in four of their last eight matches. |
The latest Celtic vs Dunfermline odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Celtic vs Dunfermline will be played on Saturday, 23rd May 2026 at 15:00
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