Celtic and Rangers away fans will be back at Old Firm games ‘as soon as possible’ reveals SPFL chief

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster says he's desperate to work with Celtic and Rangers to ensure the return of away fans at Old Firm matches as soon as possible. League bosses stepped in to broker a total lockout of away…

By Stewart Fisher · The Scottish Sun

Published: Friday, 9 October 2026 at 9:13 AM

Key Things to Know

SPFL chief Neil Doncaster wants away supporters returned to Old Firm fixtures as soon as possible.
A total lockout of away fans was implemented for SPFL matches between Celtic and Rangers this season.
The restriction followed crowd disorder at a Scottish Cup match between the rivals last March.

The Story in 60 Seconds

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster stated that the league is working with Celtic and Rangers to return away supporters to Old Firm matches as soon as possible. Doncaster emphasized on the Price of Football podcast that the derby fixture needs visiting fans, despite an agreed total lockout between the clubs for SPFL matches this season following recent safety issues.

The lockout followed disorder during a Scottish Cup fixture last March, which led to an independent review recommending matches behind closed doors. Tensions escalated further after Celtic declined a reduced 300-ticket allocation for a Premier Sports Cup tie at Ibrox and subsequently blocked Rangers supporters from attending Celtic Park.

Read the full article on The Scottish Sun