Rangers have been handed a home tie in the Scottish Cup fifth round, with either Championship side Queen’s Park or League 2's Stranraer set to visit Ibrox once their rearranged fourth-round clash is played tomorrow, January 20, 2026.
The Light Blues cruised into the next stage of the competition with a convincing 5–0 win over Annan Athletic, but the draw has already sparked memories of last season’s dramatic early exit.
Queen’s Park, who are still to complete their tie with Stranraer, famously stunned Rangers 1–0 at Ibrox at the same stage of the competition last year, delivering one of the biggest shocks in recent Scottish Cup history.
That defeat ultimately proved costly for Philippe Clement, who was sacked just one defeat later, and remains a painful reminder that even home ties against lower-league opposition can carry real danger.
Should Queen’s Park progress again, Rangers will face a familiar test against a side that has already shown it can handle the pressure of a big occasion in Govan – and who’s youth side already eliminated Rangers youth side from the SFA Youth Cup late last calendar year.
Stranraer, meanwhile, would represent a very different challenge. Rangers last faced the League 2 outfit in the Scottish Cup in January 2020, when Steven Gerrard’s side ran out 2–0 winners at Ibrox, with goals from Jermain Defoe and Scott Arfield, who scored in this seasons fourth round for Livingston.
That match took place just two months before the COVID-19 pandemic brought football to a standstill, making it a distant memory for many supporters. A repeat meeting would give Rangers the chance to avoid any lingering nerves and reassert their dominance in the competition.
Elsewhere in the fifth-round draw, there are several intriguing ties involving clubs across the Premiership and lower leagues. Cup holders Aberdeen, who signed Lyall Cameron on loan from Rangers this week, and Motherwell have been paired together in a top-flight showdown, while St Mirren face a potentially awkward trip to Airdrieonians.
Dundee United will host Spartans, a League 2 side who have already caused problems for higher-ranked opponents while topping the fourth tier, and Dunfermline – fresh from their dramatic elimination of Hibernian – take on Kelty Hearts in an all-Fife encounter.
Falkirk’s meeting with Stenhousemuir also promises to be a fiercely contested local affair, underlining the competitive nature of this stage of the tournament.
Elsewhere in Glasgow, Celtic will host Steven Pressley’s Dundee – while Alex Rae's Partick Thistle make the long journey north to face Elgin City.
For Rangers, the focus remains firmly on avoiding the kind of slip-up that derailed their cup ambitions last season. Danny Rohl’s side will enter the fifth round as one of the favourites, especially after the commanding performance against Annan, which saw Bojan Miovski score a hat-trick, Kieran Dowell net for Rangers for the first time in over two years, Thelo Aasgaard score a goal-of-the-season contender and new signing Tochi Chukwuani make his Ibrox bow.
With key players returning from injury and squad depth improving, Rangers will feel better equipped to cope with the demands of a knockout competition. However, history has shown that reputation alone counts for little in the Scottish Cup.
The possibility of another meeting with Queen’s Park will ensure there is no room for complacency, while even a tie against Stranraer would require a professional and disciplined approach.
The road to Hampden is rarely straightforward, and Rangers are well aware of how quickly momentum can shift in a single cup tie.
As the fifth-round weekend of February 7/8 approaches, attention will turn to tomorrow’s rearranged fixture to determine Rangers opponents. Whether it brings the threat of a familiar giant-killer or a chance to revisit a regular foe from Rangers lower-league spell, the Light Blues know their margin for error is slim.
Rangers Women's side have also discovered their quarter-final opponents - Leanne Crichton's side will make the short journey to Petershill to take on Partick Thistle.