SPFL bans away supporters from Celtic and Rangers matches for 2026–2027 season

League ruling and season arrangements

The Scottish Professional Football League confirmed on Friday that no away supporters will attend matches between Celtic and Rangers across SPFL competitions for the remainder of the 2026/27 season. The ruling applies to all Scottish Premiership fixtures between the Glasgow rivals as well as their knockout tie in the Premier Sports Cup. The decision was finalized following joint discussions involving the SPFL, both clubs, and Police Scotland. League administrators framed the exclusion as a temporary arrangement that remains subject to review if operational circumstances change materially during the season. The governing body stated that the pause provides planning certainty for clubs and supporters while avoiding recurring disputes over individual match ticket allocations.

The March cup tie and security review

The arrangement follows unrest at the Scottish Gas Men's Scottish Cup quarter-final between the teams at Ibrox on 8 March. Under tournament rules set by the Scottish Football Association, Celtic received a full visiting allocation of about 8,000 tickets for that fixture. After a goalless draw, Celtic secured victory in a penalty shootout, prompting supporters from both sides to breach security barriers and enter the playing field. Rival fans engaged in altercations and threw flares and fireworks across the pitch, forcing police officers and stewards to form a physical line between the groups while players hurried into the dressing rooms. Authorities subsequently arrested 43 people in connection with the disorder. An independent review of the match conducted by Mark Blackbourne was delivered to the Scottish FA earlier in the summer.

Allocation disputes and manager reaction

Disagreements over visiting allocations escalated after Rangers and Celtic were paired against each other in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final. The clubs had previously settled on a visiting allocation of 5% of stadium capacity for league fixtures, amounting to approximately 2,500 seats at both Ibrox and Celtic Park. For the cup tie at Ibrox on 13 September, Rangers conducted a risk assessment and proposed cutting Celtic's ticket allocation to 300 seats. Celtic rejected the reduction and formally requested that the SPFL intervene and issue a binding determination, prompting the league to exclude away fans entirely. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed disappointment with the outcome:

I think that was inevitable, really, when Rangers were offering 300 tickets, and we refused that. Really sad, I must admit, just from a normal punter's viewpoint. It's a great, great fixture when the ground is absolutely full. And I think the away fans make this.

Fixture calendar and Scottish FA sanctions

The ban takes effect immediately for the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox on 13 September, followed by a William Hill Premiership derby at Celtic Park on 20 September. While the SPFL policy governs league and League Cup ties, the Scottish FA oversees the separate Scottish Cup competition, dating back through a rivalry founded in 1888. Disciplinary penalties from the March quarter-final have already impacted that tournament. Last month, the Scottish FA ordered both Celtic and Rangers to play their next home Scottish Cup fixtures behind closed doors. SPFL officials affirmed that all parties remain committed to working together throughout the season to evaluate the Blackbourne review recommendations and establish revised security procedures for future campaigns.