Rangers limit Celtic away allocation for League Cup clash
Rangers will allocate only 300 tickets to Celtic supporters for their League Cup quarter-final on 13 September at Ibrox, citing safety concerns after fan disorder in March. The decision follows a Scottish FA sanction requiring both clubs to play their next home Scottish Cup games behind closed doors. Rangers said the reduced allocation improves accountability and segregation, and they remain concerned about the risk of repeat incidents.
The 300-ticket allocation marks a dramatic reduction from the roughly 8,000 Celtic supporters who attended the March Scottish Cup meeting at Ibrox, where disorder broke out. Rangers cite the subsequent Blackbourne Report and their Scottish FA sanction—which forces both clubs to play their next home Scottish Cup matches behind closed doors—as key factors in their decision. The club also points to additional pitch invasions involving Celtic fans since March.
Rangers state they approached Celtic with proposals after the cup draw but received a response eight days later that failed to address their concerns about accountability and deterrence. The club maintains that matchday safety remains paramount and that the reduced allocation enables stronger ingress controls and segregation. Ticketing for the reverse fixture at Celtic Park on 20 September remains unconfirmed.
This decision could deepen the already fraught relationship between Scottish football's two dominant clubs, potentially affecting matchday atmospheres and fan experiences for years to come. Reduced away allocations may diminish the intensity of the Old Firm rivalry, though safety concerns following March's disorder give Rangers' position weight. Supporters of both clubs, particularly Celtic fans accustomed to larger travelling numbers, could feel alienated, while authorities may face pressure to standardize ticketing policies across competitions.