Celtic vs Kilmarnock Referee and VAR: Match officials confirmed for Scottish Premiership clash

The Scottish FA has confirmed the officiating team for this weekend’s game between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park in the Scottish Premiership.

The match officials were revealed on Tuesday morning, with the league clash between the pair set to take place on Saturday 12 April. Scheduled for kick off at 12.30pm, the match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football, with the Hoops hoping to edge closer to yet another league title.

Brendan Rodgers’ side enter the match knowing that a win could mathematically confirm a fourth successive title win, and a joint-record 55th league title in their history. However, even if Celtic do emerge victorious, they’ll still require Aberdeen to beat Rangers at Pittodrie 24 hours later before they can officially start their celebrations. If not, Celtic will need to put the champagne on ice until at least next weekend.

Kilmarnock's Lewis Mayo and Celtic's Daizen Maeda in action during a Scottish Gas Men's Scottish Cup Fourth Round in January. | SNS Group

It will be no simple task though, with relegation threatened Kilmarnock boosted by an impressive 2-0 win over Motherwell last week. Goals from Fraser Murray and Joe Wright either side of half-time helped them leapfrog Ross County into ninth position, with Killie now holding a narrow one point cushion over fellow strugglers Dundee.

The third meeting between the sides this season, Celtic thrashed Derek McInnes’ side 4-0 on the opening day of the season, before following it up with a 2-0 away win at Rugby Park. Rodgers’ side also knocked Kilmarnock out of the Scottish Cup with a narrow 2-1 home win in the Scottish Cup in January.

With plenty on the line for both sides at the opposite ends of the table, The SFA have now revealed who will be the match officials for the game:

Who is the referee for Celtic vs Kilmarnock

The Scottish Premiership have confirmed that the man in the middle will be John Beaton. This will be the third Celtic league game that Beaton has officiated this season, but only the second Kilmarnock game. The most recent Celtic game he took charge of was the 5-1 win over Aberdeen on 25 February.

During the 2024/25 season, Beaton has refereed a total of 17 Scottish Premiership games, and handed out 73 yellow cards and three red cards. He has booked five Celtic players this season, and five Kilmarnock players . He has issued just one red card so far this season, with neither Celtic nor Kilmarnock having a player sent off by him this season. Only Don Robertson and Nick Walsh have handed out more yellow cards this season, though both have taken charge of more games.

He awards an average of 21.76 fouls per game. Celtic have won 100% of the games he has taken charge of this season, whereas Kilmarnock lost the only game he took charge of this year (a 3-2 defeat to Hearts on February 25 ).

Referee John Beaton during the Premier Sports Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park last month. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Celtic vs Kilmarnock match officials and VAR

Beaton will be joind by officials Daniel McFarlane and Scott Anderson, who will act as assistant referees. On VAR duties, we have Gavin Duncan, who will be assisted on VAR by Gary Hilland