There will be no away fans at the first two derbies of this campaign.
Rangers and Celtic have come to a consensus with the league regarding the reinstatement of away fans later in the season. The Scottish Professional Football League engaged in discussions with both clubs following the revelation earlier this week that the deadlock concerning visiting allocations would persist into 2025.
The SPFL announced that an agreement has been reached among all three parties, stipulating that the upcoming two derbies will feature a "zero allocation for away supporters.
"Subsequently, Rangers and Celtic will allocate approximately five percent of their respective stadium capacities for away supporters during SPFL matches between the two teams," the statement indicated.
This is contingent upon the fulfillment of all necessary conditions at both Ibrox and Celtic Park. An SPFL spokesperson stated: "The inclusion of away fans is an essential element of the passion, drama, and excitement that defines the William Hill Premiership.
"We are pleased that Rangers and Celtic are dedicated to facilitating the return of away supporters to their derby matches at the earliest opportunity.
" A similar agreement was reached in March of this year to reinstate allocations of approximately 2,500-3,000 tickets for visiting fans; however, Celtic has notified Rangers that they will not receive any tickets for the upcoming match at Parkhead on September 1.
A statement released by Rangers on Wednesday indicated: "The distribution to be executed by both clubs was explicitly defined, and Rangers is actively working to honor that agreement. "At this time, we can confirm that there will be no away ticket allocation for the Old Firm match scheduled in January at Ibrox. "This decision aligns with the reciprocal terms established in the agreement between the clubs and the SPFL."
Celtic has not yet made a public statement; however, reports suggest that they remain skeptical about Rangers' ability to accommodate visiting supporters for their New Year match, given the ongoing delays in renovations at Ibrox.
These delays have compelled Philippe Clement's team to play their initial matches of the season at Hampden.
In 2018, Rangers broke the long-standing tradition that allowed approximately 7,500 fans to travel across the city on derby days, reducing that number to roughly 10 percent of the original figure. Consequently, Celtic adopted a similar approach. As a result, neither club has accepted ticket allocations for matches at each other's venues due to safety concerns.
Celtic subsequently denied Rangers' request for tickets for the match scheduled on December 30 last year, while the SPFL was unable to enforce ambiguous regulations regarding away ticket allocations at that time.
