Preview: Celtic vs Falkirk - prediction, team news, lineups

Reigning champions Celtic will welcome Falkirk to Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon for a Scottish Premiership encounter.

The Bhoys are looking to bounce back from one of the most disappointing results in their history, while the Bairns are looking for their first win of the new league season.

Match preview

After a 2025-26 campaign full of inconsistency and lacklustre results, Celtic ultimately ended the season on a high, lifting the Scottish Premiership league title on the final day and winning the Scottish FA Cup.

Martin O'Neill, who was subsequently handed the permanent job, failed to build on that momentum during pre-season, drawing three and losing one of their four friendly fixtures.

However, Celtic were immediately back to winning ways at the start of 2026-27, winning all of their opening four matches across all competitions.

The Bhoys defeated Dundee (1-0) and Kilmarnock (5-1) in the league, Dundee United (4-0) in the Scottish League Cup second round and LASK Linz (3-0) in the first leg of their Champions League playoff qualifying round.

Celtic, therefore, headed to Austria with a commanding advantage, and they extended their lead when Callum McGregor made it 4-0 on aggregate in the 21st-minute of the second leg, leaving the Bhoys with one foot in the league phase.

However, a catastrophic next 100 minutes followed, with Celtic conceding five goals without reply, resulting in a 5-4 aggregate defeat and elimination from the Champions League - marking one of the most disappointing nights in the club's history.

O'Neill will be desperate for his side to swiftly put that result behind them and secure a confidence-boosting victory on Saturday, when they take on faltering Falkirk.

Falkirk, who brilliantly finished sixth in their first Scottish Premiership season since 2009-10 last year, have endured a miserable start to the new campaign.

The Bairns opened the 2026-27 with two wins, one draw - losing on penalties - and one loss in Group G of the Scottish League Cup, resulting in a second-placed finish and their shock elimination.

Falkirk's Scottish Premiership campaign opened in a similarly lacklustre fashion, losing 2-0 at home to St Mirren, followed by a goalless draw with Motherwell on matchday two.

John McGlynn's side are, therefore, still in search of their first win in the new season, and they will be hoping to snatch three points when they visit Celtic Park.

Falkirk will have to overcome their dismal record against Celtic if they are to take anything away from Paradise, having lost all of their last nine clashes with the Bhoys.

Celtic Scottish Premiership form:

Celtic form (all competitions):

Falkirk Scottish Premiership form:

Falkirk form (all competitions):

Team News

Celtic will remain without Jota until next month as the winger continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury, while Alistair Johnston is out until October due to a hamstring injury.

Following the calamitous result against LASK in midweek, O'Neill is likely to make numerous changes to the starting 11 for this one, meaning the likes of Haissem Hassan, Liam Scales, Dane Murray and Sebastian Tounekti could start.

Meanwhile, Aidan Nesbitt, Ethan Laidlaw, Keelan Adams, Scott Tanser and Tom Lang are all ruled out of Saturday's fixture due to ongoing injury problems.

Falkirk are yet to score in the Scottish Premiership this season, and they will be hoping striker Ross MacIver can get off the mark on Saturday.

Celtic possible starting lineup:

Sinisalo; Murray, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Scales; McGregor, Baur; Hassan, Nygren, Tounekti; Hogh

Falkirk possible starting lineup:

Bain; Strain, Neilson, Henderson, McCann; Barbrook, Krauhaus; Doherty, Yeats, Ross; MacIver

We say: Celtic 3-1 Falkirk

Celtic may be short on confidence following the midweek elimination, but the Bhoys remain the stronger side on paper and have a fantastic record against Falkirk.

The Bairns have also made a slow start to the term, and with Celtic's strength at home, we are backing the Bhoys to win this one.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.