Old Firm Matches to Exclude Away Fans This Season

No away fans will be allowed at any Old Firm fixtures in this season’s Premiership or League Cup, after the SPFL moved to shut visiting supporters out of clashes between Celtic and Rangers.

The ruling follows months of tension over allocations and comes in the wake of on-pitch confrontations between rival fans after the clubs’ Scottish Cup tie in March, which triggered an independent review.

Old Firm behind closed borders

Rangers are due to host Celtic at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup on 13 September, with the sides meeting again at Parkhead in the league a week later, live on Sky Sports. Both matches will now be played without any away support inside the stadium.

The decision represents a sharp turn from the previous agreement between the clubs, which had set visiting allocations at five per cent of capacity for all SPFL games at both grounds.

That deal began to unravel once Rangers, citing their own assessment of safety and risk around the upcoming cup tie, offered Celtic around 300 tickets instead of the usual 2,500. Celtic rejected that reduced allocation, and the dispute landed on the SPFL’s desk.

Talks involving both clubs and league officials followed. The outcome: a blanket lockout of away fans for all Old Firm meetings in SPFL competitions this season.

‘Temporary arrangement’ as review work continues

In a statement, the SPFL described the move as a “temporary arrangement” designed to give Celtic, Rangers, the league, Police Scotland and other stakeholders space to digest the findings and recommendations of the Independent Review and to implement whatever changes are required.

The league stressed that the decision is aimed at creating clarity for supporters and matchday organisers, avoiding a cycle of late, fixture-by-fixture wrangling over tickets and safety plans.

All parties, the SPFL said, have committed to working “constructively” during this period, with safety and security “remaining the priority”.

The stance is not set in stone. The league confirmed the position will stay under review if circumstances change materially during the season.

Longer term, arrangements for Old Firm fixtures beyond the current campaign will be decided well ahead of the 2027/28 season.

Until then, one of world football’s fiercest rivalries will play out with a twist: the roar will come from one end only.