Rangers and Celtic to meet without away fans in cup quarterfinal

Rangers and Celtic will meet in a Premier Sports Cup quarterfinal at Ibrox on Sunday, September 13, 2026, in a match that will be played without any away supporters. The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has banned visiting fans from all Old Firm fixtures for the 2026-27 season following crowd disorder at last season's Scottish Cup quarterfinal. The decision means the upcoming cup tie and the subsequent league match at Celtic Park on September 20 will be staged exclusively in front of home fans. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill described the ban as "inevitable" but "really quite sad," acknowledging the impact on the fixture's atmosphere. Former goalkeeper Brad Friedel compared the intensity of the Old Firm derby to the Galatasaray vs. Fenerbahce rivalry, stating it is one of the most heated in world football. Both clubs enter the contest with significant injury concerns. Rangers will be without captain Lawrence Shankland, who is expected to miss up to four months following hamstring surgery. They are also missing Youssef Chermiti (ACL injury), Daisuke Yokota (groin surgery), Tuur Rommens (groin), and Jose Cifuentes (unspecified injury).