The SPFL has officially responded to the ongoing Celtic and Rangers away supporters ticket allocation dispute.
Earlier this week, Celtic informed Rangers that they would not provide away supporters with the proposed 5% allocation for the upcoming derby match at Celtic Park on Sunday, September 1 following discussions with Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council officials.
This decision was made due to a lack of guarantees regarding the reciprocation of pre-agreed safety measures for the same fixture on January 2, 2025 at Ibrox. Rangers are currently playing their home games at Hampden while Ibrox undergoes renovations.
It's understood that while there will be no away fans at the fixtures in September and January respectively – as has been the case since 2021 – the 5% allocation will be introduced for the remaining two derby fixtures scheduled in this season's Scottish Premiership campaign.
Speaking for the first time on the matter, an official statement from the SPFL read: "The presence of away fans is a vital ingredient of the passion, drama and excitement that is the hallmark of the William Hill Premiership.
"We are pleased that Rangers and Celtic are committed to achieving the return of away supporters to their derby matches as soon as possible."
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