Nicola Sturgeon has said she has had "no discussions" about cancelling the Old Firm match this month.
The First Minister said she wanted the game to go ahead amid fears it could lead to a spike in house parties.
Pubs, bars and restaurants in the Central Belt will close from 6pm today until October 25th, with hospitality venues in other parts of the country facing restrictions short of closure.
However, fears have been expressed about the impact of the pub ban on the Old Firm game on October 17th.
Tony Cochrane, who runs pub and club venues in Scotland, said: “Everyone will go watch the match at their mate’s house with some beers."
Asked if she would rule out cancelling the game, Sturgeon said:
"It wouldn't be my decision whether the Old Firm was cancelled or not. I certainly have had no discussions about cancelling the Old Firm."
She added: "I would really like football, on the restricted basis that it is having to operate just now with no fans...to go ahead, because it is good that folk who can't be in the pub and can't be having house parties, they can at least watch their football team on the telly.
"So I want these things to go ahead, and there's certainly no plans, as far as I'm aware, to cancel the Old Firm match."
Jason Leitch, the Government's national clinical director, added: "There is no intention for us to ask for it to be cancelled."
Leitch also said this morning: “But the Old Firm game is going ahead and we are keen for elite football to be safe and to return, and that’s gone relatively well over the last few weeks. I would ask people just to be so, so careful, and mixing households is how the virus spreads. So watch it in your own home and don’t, don’t mix households.”
