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Old Firm derbies to go ahead without away fans

Featured image credit: Vincenzo.togni/CC BY-SA 4.0/Edited for size

Featured image credit: Vincenzo.togni/CC BY-SA 4.0/Edited for size

Away fans will not be permitted to attend the upcoming Scottish Premiership matches between rivals Celtic and Rangers, it has been reported.

Celtic is scheduled to host Rangers on April 8, with the teams set to meet again following the league split on a date that is still to be determined. According to the Glasgow Evening Times, only home fans will be in attendance for the two fixtures following discussions between the two clubs.

Away fan allocations for the Old Firm derby have been limited since the 2018-19 season, and the first two derbies of last season went ahead without travelling supporters. In February 2022, Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson confirmed that away fans would return to Ibrox and Celtic Park for the remaining two derbies of that season.

In the past, Rangers and Celtic fans have been granted allocations of 7,500 tickets for trips to their opposition grounds, but this has been reduced to around 800 for recent fixtures.

According to the Daily Record, the decision to ban away fans for the last two matches of this season has been taken due to concerns over “safety and security”. No official announcement has been made by the clubs or the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).

Celtic will face Rangers in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup at Hampden Park on April 30. The teams will receive an equal allocation of tickets for the match.