The SPFL has had enough. Following the scenes that turned Celtic's Scottish Cup quarterfinal win over Rangers in March into a full-scale disorder event, the governing body has banned away fans from every Old Firm fixture this season — league, League Cup, Scottish Cup, all of it.
The decision landed on Friday, and it carries real weight. Celtic had brought around 8,000 supporters to that March tie under competition rules. After the final whistle of a penalty shootout, both sets of fans invaded the pitch, flares were thrown, and police and stewards had to physically restore order. Forty-three arrests followed. That's not a bad day at the football. That's a breakdown.
What the ban actually covers
The first fixture affected is the Scottish League Cup meeting at Ibrox on September 13. From there, the restriction runs through all Premiership derbies and would apply to any Scottish Cup clashes too. The SPFL is calling it a "temporary arrangement" subject to review — but with the Scottish FA already ordering both clubs to play their next Scottish Cup matches behind closed doors, the appetite for leniency is clearly limited.
For Celtic, who've leaned on the noise and momentum of a packed away end to pressure opposition grounds, this changes the atmosphere calculus in key matches. For Rangers, hosting a derby at Ibrox without the psychological edge of a hostile away section is a different kind of game entirely. Fixture difficulty assessments for both sides in cup competitions look different now.
The Old Firm is routinely cited as one of world football's most intense rivalries. That intensity is partly what makes it special — and partly what keeps generating nights like March. The SPFL's move is a blunt instrument, but after 43 arrests, blunt is probably the point.
- Away fan ban applies to all Celtic vs Rangers matches in 2024/25
- Covers Scottish Premiership, Scottish League Cup, and Scottish Cup
- First affected fixture: League Cup at Ibrox, September 13
- Both clubs also face behind-closed-doors Scottish Cup matches as a separate SFA punishment
- 43 arrests were made following the March disorder
The SPFL says the ban is temporary. Given that 43 people were arrested the last time this fixture had a full away allocation, it's hard to see what changes quickly enough to bring the fans back before the season is done.
