Scottish courts are to receive significantly strengthened powers to impose football banning orders, as the Scottish government moves to tackle a spate of troubling incidents inside stadiums — from flares being lit in the stands to supporters flooding onto the pitch at the final whistle.

The proposed legislation would extend the scope of banning orders to cover specific offences including the use of pyrotechnics, pitch invasions and the throwing of missiles. Under the current framework, banning orders — which were first introduced in 2006 — allow courts to restrict those convicted of football-related violence or disorder from attending matches anywhere in the UK. The Scottish government now wants that net cast wider and the triggers for those orders made far more precise.

Celtic's Title Day and the Incidents That Forced the Issue

It is difficult to look at this legislation without thinking of what happened at the Scottish Premiership title decider in May, when Celtic's 3-1 win over Hearts was followed by a large-scale pitch invasion at full time. Hearts players left the stadium immediately afterwards, later describing the atmosphere as menacing and threatening. Celtic subsequently apologised to their opponents, were fined £7,500 by the footballing authorities, and received a suspended ticket ban.

Celtic were not alone in facing sanction. Motherwell, newly-promoted pair Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Stenhousemuir, and Hamilton Academical also received fines or suspended crowd reductions following pitch incursions during the same month. Then there was the Old Firm Scottish Cup tie in March, which ended with supporters from both sides clashing on the pitch, leaving supporters and police officers injured.

These were not isolated footnotes. They were the kinds of scenes that make it harder to argue the status quo is working.

A Consultation, and Some Dissent

The proposed changes follow a consultation that drew more than 900 responses. Football bodies and Police Scotland backed the wider use of banning orders, though some supporters raised concerns about expanding the powers and disputed the suggestion that behaviour inside grounds has deteriorated significantly.

Community safety minister Kirsten Oswald acknowledged that the overwhelming majority of fans attend matches without incident, but argued that a small minority were compromising safety for players, officials and fellow supporters alike. She described football as Scotland's national sport and said the legislation was designed to ensure it remained a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.

The SPFL backed the direction of travel, with a spokesman saying the specific targeting of offences such as pyrotechnic use and pitch invasions would help protect players, staff and supporters, adding that such behaviour — however rare — puts everyone at risk and has no place in the game.

The Numbers Tell Their Own Story

What makes this development particularly striking is the trajectory of banning orders in recent years. Figures obtained by BBC Scotland News showed that just five football banning orders were issued between August 2024 and February 2025. Compare that to 37 during the 2023/24 season and 59 in 2022/23, and you have a significant and somewhat puzzling drop — particularly against a backdrop of incidents that have generated national headlines.

The new legislation is clearly intended to reverse that trend. Whether tightening the specific offences that trigger a banning order will translate into more consistent use of the powers by the courts remains to be seen, but the direction from Holyrood is clear enough. Scottish football has had its patience tested this past season. The government appears to have run out of its own.

Frequently asked

What is a football banning order in Scotland?
A football banning order (FBO) is a court-imposed restriction that prevents someone convicted of football-related violence or disorder from attending matches anywhere in the UK. They were introduced in Scotland in 2006.
What new offences will trigger a football banning order under the proposed changes?
The Scottish government wants to extend banning orders to specifically cover the use of pyrotechnics (such as flares and smoke bombs), pitch invasions, and throwing missiles at matches.
What happened at the Celtic vs Hearts title decider that prompted this legislation?
Celtic's 3-1 win over Hearts in May, which clinched the Scottish Premiership title, was followed by a large-scale pitch invasion. Hearts players described the atmosphere as menacing. Celtic were fined £7,500 and given a suspended ticket ban by football authorities.