The SPFL has confirmed its ruling on the away ticket allocation for the upcoming Celtic vs Rangers fixture at Celtic Park, following a dispute between the two clubs over conditions attached to the distribution of tickets.
Rangers will be allowed a 5% away allocation for the Old Firm clash next weekend, but only under strict conditions set out by Celtic, including a requirement that no tickets are distributed to the Union Bears ultras group.
The decision follows weeks of disagreement between the clubs after Celtic introduced the condition in response to recent crowd issues at Ibrox. Rangers rejected the stipulation, arguing against restrictions on how their allocation is managed, which ultimately led to the matter being escalated to the SPFL.
An independent SPFL sub-committee heard arguments from both sides in a formal meeting before reaching its conclusion. The panel acknowledged that both clubs had failed to reach an agreement and noted that a reciprocal 5% ticket arrangement normally exists between the sides.
However, the committee also placed weight on safety and security responsibilities, stating that the home club is ultimately accountable for risk assessments under league rules. It further referenced recent disorder in a previous meeting between the teams, which is currently under review by the Scottish FA.
With no updated findings available from that ongoing investigation, the SPFL said it would not override Celtic’s safety-based conditions or interfere with their mitigation measures. As a result, it ruled that a 5% allocation remains appropriate provided the agreed conditions are met.
The governing body also highlighted the timing of the referral, noting it came just over two weeks before the fixture, during a period of heightened scrutiny in Scottish football.
In a separate comment, the SPFL acknowledged wider concerns around the process and indicated it may review the current 14-day deadline for ticketing disputes, with proposals already under consideration to extend the timeframe to 35 days ahead of matches.
Celtic have maintained that their condition is necessary and proportionate for safety reasons, while Rangers now face a decision on whether to accept the terms in order to secure their full away allocation for the match.
More discussions between all parties are expected as the build-up to the derby continues.
