Celtic told Rangers they could have their full away allocation for the 10 May derby — on one condition: no tickets for the Union Bears. Rangers said no, and now the SPFL is involved.
The standoff stems from the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox on 8 March, when Rangers supporters invaded the pitch from the section housing the Union Bears ultras group after Celtic players and staff celebrated on the turf. A Celtic player and a member of staff were allegedly assaulted during the incursion. Celtic ran a detailed risk assessment ahead of the next meeting and concluded that handing tickets to that specific group again was not something they were willing to do.
Their position is defensible on the face of it. If a group of supporters has been directly and publicly identified in serious disorder, a club has a reasonable basis for not wanting them back on their ground. Celtic's statement made that plain: "tickets are not distributed to a section of supporters which very recently and identifiably engaged in serious violence and disorder."
Rangers push back on sporting grounds
Rangers' objection isn't really about the Union Bears specifically — it's about precedent and competitive fairness. Their statement frames the removal of away fans as "a clear and material sporting imbalance" at a title-defining moment. That's not spin. If Rangers fans are effectively excluded from Celtic Park when the Premiership could be decided, that's a legitimately awkward situation for the competition's credibility.
The SPFL has now confirmed it will appoint a sub-committee to consider the matter under Rule I27, which requires clubs to make provision for a "reasonable number" of visiting supporters. The board has the authority to determine what that number looks like. So the question becomes whether Celtic's conditional offer — full allocation minus one group — satisfies the rule, or whether it constitutes a de facto refusal.
- The 10 May fixture could have a direct bearing on the William Hill Premiership title race
- Celtic are offering full allocation subject to the Union Bears exclusion
- Rangers rejected the condition and referred the matter to the SPFL board
- SPFL Rule I27 requires clubs to provide a "reasonable number" of away tickets
From a betting perspective, this kind of atmosphere — regardless of how the ticket issue resolves — tends to make Old Firm matches more volatile than the form book suggests. Add in the title stakes and the lingering tension from March, and the 10 May fixture is not one to approach with tidy pre-match assumptions.
Celtic said they're ready to engage further. Rangers have put it in the hands of the SPFL. The board's decision will either set a workable precedent for how clubs handle supporter misconduct, or open a door that's going to be very difficult to close again.
