Scottish Premiership Post-Split Fixtures and Title Race Update

Heart of Midlothian currently leads the William Hill Premiership, positioning themselves to potentially end a 41-year period of dominance by Rangers and Celtic. The Edinburgh side sits one point clear of Rangers and three points ahead of Celtic as the league prepares for its post-split phase.

The last time a club other than the Glasgow giants won the Scottish league title was in 1985, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen finished at the top. Hearts are now attempting to become the first non-Old Firm title winner in a generation, seeking their first top-flight title since 1960.

Recent Form and Standings

Hearts entered the current stretch of the season as league leaders, though they recently experienced a setback. On April 5, 2026, the team was held to a 2-2 draw by bottom-side Livingston at Almondvale.

During that match, Hearts trailed early after a goal from Stevie May. They recovered to lead through goals from Lawrence Shankland and Claudio Braga before Lewis Smith equalized for Livingston in the 58th minute. The result was further compounded by a stoppage-time red card for Marc Leonard.

Hearts manager Derek McInnes described the result as two points dropped, noting that the team relinquished their sense of authority and conceded two poor goals.

Post-Split Fixtures and Title Deciders

The Scottish Professional Football League has confirmed the post-split fixtures for rounds 34 through 38. Hearts face a challenging run-in with three away games and two home games.

• April 26: Away to Hibernian (Edinburgh derby)
• May 4: Home against Rangers
• May 9: Away to Motherwell
• May 13: Home against Falkirk
• May 16: Away to Celtic at Parkhead

The final match of the season on May 16 against current champions Celtic at Parkhead is viewed as a potential title decider. Derek McInnes has expressed his readiness for the high-stakes finale, stating he would be happy to play title deciders in a car park.

Rangers and Celtic Outlook

Rangers, managed by Danny Röhl, currently trail Hearts by one point. Their post-split schedule includes three away games in their final five matches. They host Motherwell on April 26, travel to Hearts on May 4 and face Celtic at Celtic Park on May 10.

Celtic currently sit three points behind Hearts. They will begin their post-split campaign at home against Falkirk on April 25. Their season concludes with the home fixture against Hearts on May 16.

Broader League Context

While the title race focuses on the top three, other battles persist in the William Hill Premiership. Motherwell currently occupies fourth place, holding a three-point lead over Hibernian in the race for European qualification.

At the bottom of the table, Livingston remains 11 points adrift of Kilmarnock. Meanwhile, St Mirren and Aberdeen are both three points above the relegation play-off position.

The immediate schedule for the league leaders includes a match against Motherwell on April 11, while Rangers are scheduled to face Falkirk on April 12.