SPFL bans away fans from Old Firm matches this season
Quick summary
The SPFL has confirmed that no away supporters will be permitted at Rangers vs Celtic Old Firm matches during the 2024-25 season.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceThere will be no away supporters for Celtic and Rangers derbies in the Scottish Premiership or Premier Sports Cup this season.
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What happened
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has decided that away fans will not be allowed to attend Old Firm matches between Rangers and Celtic this season. The decision comes amid ongoing concerns over fan safety, disorder and policing costs associated with the fixture. The policy effectively means Celtic supporters will not travel to Ibrox and Rangers fans will not travel to Parkhead during the regular league campaign. The move is likely to reignite debate about the atmosphere, tradition and commercial impact of the league's most high-profile fixture.
Chance analysis
Stripping away supporters from the Old Firm removes one of the defining elements of Scottish football's fiercest rivalry. Matches played without travelling fans tend to feel flatter, which can affect both the competitive intensity on the pitch and the broadcast product. For Rangers and Celtic, the decision carries commercial consequences — away allocations are a significant revenue line — while also reinforcing how seriously authorities continue to treat safety and disorder around the fixture. It is a development that will shape the texture of the season regardless of how the league table unfolds.
Both Rangers and Celtic lose away-ticket revenue and the traditional hostile away atmosphere for league Old Firm derbies this season.