NafisaRangers have issued a lengthy official statement after receiving the independent review into the chaotic Old Firm clash with Celtic on 8 March 2026, confirming they accept responsibility for areas under the club’s control while strongly disputing key conclusions contained within the report.
The Ibrox club condemned the scenes that unfolded during the fixture, including supporters forcing entry, invading the pitch, throwing missiles, using pyrotechnics, vandalising sections of the stadium and directing offensive abuse towards victims of the Ibrox Disaster.
Rangers acknowledged the distress caused by the disorder and praised the efforts of police officers and stewards who worked to restore order during the incident.
The club confirmed it had fully cooperated with the independent investigation and will now implement recommendations designed to improve safety and planning for future high-risk fixtures. The Rangers board will oversee those changes, with supporters set to be involved through the Fan Advisory Board.
However, Rangers also used the statement to launch a firm criticism of the Scottish FA, insisting the governing body failed to properly examine its own role in increasing the away ticket allocation for Celtic supporters.
According to Rangers, they had warned before the match that expanding Celtic’s allocation to around 8,000 tickets would significantly increase the safety risks surrounding the fixture. Despite those concerns, they say they were informed that the competition rules would still be enforced.
The club revealed it had already strengthened its operational plans before the match by increasing steward numbers, enhancing ticket checks, deploying extra staff at turnstiles and exits, revising supporter arrival procedures and introducing measures aimed at preventing forced entry.
Even with those precautions, Rangers admitted the plans were overwhelmed by individuals intent on causing disorder.
Since the match, Rangers have introduced a stricter supporter conduct and sanctions policy. The club confirmed that ticketing accounts linked to those identified through police investigations have been suspended while permanent bans have already been handed to offenders, warning that serious misconduct will continue to receive severe punishment.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the statement concerns future Old Firm matches.
Despite the report suggesting a pathway towards restoring full away allocations between Rangers and Celtic, the Ibrox club made its position crystal clear.
Rangers have confirmed they have no plans to restore the historic full away ticket allocation for Celtic supporters at Ibrox.
Instead, the club has urged the Scottish FA to review its own ticket allocation rules and the way those policies are applied following the lessons learned from the March fixture.
Rangers also backed stronger national coordination on football safety, welcomed proposals to strengthen Football Banning Orders and called for legislation to specifically address tragedy-related abuse, including abuse connected to the Ibrox Disaster.
The club says its immediate priority is cooperating with the forthcoming disciplinary process while implementing improvements to ensure similar scenes are not repeated in the future, insisting that meaningful progress will only be achieved if every organisation involved accepts accountability for its own decisions.
Nafisa
