Key Points
- Celtic have refused to provide Rangers with an away ticket allocation for the 10 May Old Firm match at Celtic Park unless Rangers agree not to give tickets to members of the Union Bears group.
- Rangers rejected those conditions and referred the matter to the SPFL board for a determination.
- Celtic said they were surprised and disappointed that Rangers did not accept the terms, and said they were willing to engage further with the SPFL and Rangers.
- The SPFL confirmed it had received Rangers’ request and said a board sub-committee would consider the case under SPFL Rule I27.
- Barry Ferguson said he would be “absolutely raging” if Rangers did not receive the 2,500-ticket allocation he says should be in place.
- Ian Durrant criticised Celtic’s position, saying it was “ridiculous” to require fans to identify themselves as not being part of the Union Bears.
- The dispute follows disorder during the recent Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, which Celtic and Rangers have both linked to safety concerns.
Glasgow (Glasgow Express) April 29, 2026 – Rangers and Celtic are locked in a dispute over tickets for the next Old Firm derby at Celtic Park, with Celtic saying they will not hand over any away tickets unless Rangers agree to exclude the Union Bears from the allocation. Rangers rejected that condition, which has pushed the issue to the SPFL for a formal ruling. The row has become a major talking point because it affects the final Glasgow derby of the season and could leave the away end empty if Celtic’s position stands.
What did Rangers say?
As reported in the Rangers club statement, the Ibrox side said:
“Celtic FC informed us that they will not provide any tickets for the forthcoming game to our supporters unless we agree not to allocate tickets to members of the Union Bears”.
Rangers said they had “firmly rejected” those conditions and had referred the matter to the SPFL board. The club also said it remained committed to safety at football matches and said it had been trying to work with Celtic to reduce security concerns for the fixture.
What is Celtic’s position?
Celtic’s stance is that the ticket arrangement is tied to concerns about safety and the conduct of the Union Bears, following incidents connected to the recent Scottish Cup meeting at Ibrox. Reporting on Celtic’s position said the club was prepared to make the full allocation available if no ultras group members were included in the ticket list. Celtic also said it was surprised and disappointed that Rangers did not accept the request and said it was open to further talks with the SPFL and Rangers.
What has the SPFL done?
The SPFL confirmed it had received a request for a determination from Rangers over the ticket dispute for the 10 May William Hill Premiership match. It said negotiations between the clubs had failed to produce agreement and that Celtic had informed Rangers it was not in a position to allocate any tickets for visiting supporters. The governing body said the SPFL Board would appoint a sub-committee to examine the request under Rule I27. BBC Sport reported that the league is due to decide this week whether to uphold Celtic’s refusal.
Why is the Union Bears issue central?
The Union Bears are the Rangers ultras group that Celtic says it does not want included in the away allocation. The dispute became more serious after disorder around the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox, which included pitch incursion and reported injuries to staff, police and stewards. Celtic’s concern is that the group represents a specific safety risk, while Rangers’ position is that excluding a fan group should not result in no tickets being provided at all.
What did Barry Ferguson and Ian Durrant say?
Barry Ferguson said the situation would leave him “absolutely raging” if Rangers did not receive the 2,500-ticket allocation and argued that there is an agreement in place. He said Rangers “have got to get the tickets, plain and simple”. Ian Durrant also criticised Celtic’s position, saying it was “ridiculous” to expect fans to declare that they are not part of the Union Bears to get a ticket. Durrant added that ordinary supporters were being denied the chance to watch their team.
What happens next?
The immediate next step is the SPFL sub-committee’s ruling on Rangers’ request. If it sides with Celtic, Rangers could end up without any away support at Celtic Park for the derby on 10 May. If it sides with Rangers, the clubs may still need to resolve how tickets are allocated and whether any conditions are attached.
Background of the development
Away-ticket disputes between Celtic and Rangers have happened before, but this row is tied to a more recent flare-up after trouble at the Scottish Cup quarter-final. Reporting indicates that Celtic’s current stance was shaped by the behaviour of some supporters during and after that match, including a pitch incursion and disorder in the stands. The wider issue sits inside a long-running debate in Scottish football about how clubs balance supporter access with safety concerns and control over ultras groups.
Prediction
For Rangers supporters, the most likely short-term impact is uncertainty over whether any away tickets will be available for the derby. For Celtic, a ruling in its favour could reduce the chance of away fans being present, but it may also deepen tensions with Rangers and place the SPFL under pressure to set a clear precedent. For the wider audience, the decision may influence future Old Firm ticket arrangements and could affect how both clubs handle away allocations in matches where safety concerns are raised.
