2023 Scottish Cup final

The 2023 final was a record 60th Scottish Cup final appearance for Celtic, while it was only Inverness Caledonian Thistle's second final appearance, having won the cup in 2015.[2] It was the first time that the clubs had met in the final, but the eighth time they had met at any stage of the competition, the most recent meeting taking place in the fifth round in the 2016–17 season. It was also the first time since 2015 that teams in different divisions had contested the final, not including the 2020 final, where Heart of Midlothian were in the unique position of being a Premiership side when the competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a Championship side when it resumed midway through the 2020–21 season.

The winners were due to enter the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League play-off round, however, as Celtic had already qualified for the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League, the team placed third in the Premiership (Aberdeen) entered the Europa League instead.[3]

Inverness Caledonian Thistle entered the Scottish Cup at the third round, securing their place in the fourth round by defeating Stirling Albion 3–2 at Caledonian Stadium.[5] Celtic entered at the fourth round, with a 5–0 home victory over Greenock Morton ensuring their progression to the fifth round.[6] Inverness Caledonian Thistle were eliminated from the competition after a 2–0 defeat to Queen's Park in their rescheduled tie,[7] however, they were reinstated after Queen's Park were found to have fielded an ineligible player.[8] In the fifth round, Celtic beat St Mirren 5–1 in Glasgow, with a flurry of late goals in the match,[9] while Inverness Caledonian Thistle defeated Premiership side Livingston 3–0 at Almondvale Stadium.[10]

Caley Thistle also faced Premiership opposition in the quarter-finals, beating Kilmarnock 2–1 in Inverness,[11] while Celtic travelled to Tynecastle Park to face Heart of Midlothian, where they ran out 3–0 winners.[12] The semi-finals were both played at Hampden Park, with Inverness Caledonian Thistle facing Falkirk on 29 April and Celtic taking on holders Rangers the next day. In a repeat of the 2015 final, Caley Thistle defeated Falkirk, with goals from Billy Mckay and Daniel MacKay taking the club to only the second Scottish Cup final in its history.[13] They would also become the first and only team to have made the final, having been eliminated from the competition in the same season. On 30 April, Celtic beat Rangers, with Jota scoring the only goal of the game.[14]

BBC Scotland and Viaplay Sports will broadcast the final, in what will be the fifth season of a six-year deal in the United Kingdom to broadcast Scottish Cup matches.[17]