NafisaCeltic fans have barely had time to process the prospect of another Old Firm showdown at Ibrox before the conversation has already moved towards one of the biggest questions surrounding the September blockbuster.
How many tickets will Celtic supporters actually receive?
The Premier Sports Cup quarter-final draw has handed Rangers home advantage against Celtic, setting up the first meeting between the Glasgow rivals of the new campaign. Rangers booked their place in the last eight with a 5-1 demolition of St Mirren, while Celtic cruised past Dundee United 4-0 at Tannadice.
The tie is scheduled for the weekend of September 12/13, although the precise date and kick-off time will be confirmed after the television selections.
And while supporters are already debating the football, the ticket allocation could become a major story in its own right.
Celtic fans expecting a big allocation
There is a very obvious reason why Celtic supporters are expecting more than the tiny away sections that have become familiar during recent Old Firm league fixtures.
The most recent cup meeting between the sides at Ibrox provides a huge precedent.
When Celtic travelled to Rangers for the Scottish Cup quarter-final in March 2026, the Hoops were given the entire Broomloan Stand, resulting in an allocation of around 7,500 tickets. Rangers confirmed at the time that Scottish FA competition rules meant opposition clubs were entitled to a larger allocation than normal.
Celtic’s eventual allocation was officially reported at 7,919 tickets.
That was dramatically different from the roughly 2,500 away supporters permitted under the clubs’ recent league arrangement.
So naturally, Celtic fans have started wondering whether history will repeat itself.
But there is a massive complication:
This is where things get interesting.
The Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup are not necessarily governed by identical ticket-allocation rules.
The 7,500-plus Celtic allocation earlier this year was specifically connected to Scottish Cup regulations. Rangers themselves confirmed that the larger allocation was because of Scottish FA competition rules, while normal league allocations would remain under the separate agreement between the clubs.
That means Celtic cannot simply assume they will receive the same number for this League Cup quarter-final.
The recent Old Firm league arrangement has generally been around five per cent, which works out at approximately 2,500 visiting supporters.
And there is another reason why Rangers and the authorities could be reluctant to repeat the 7,500-ticket experiment.
The previous cup meeting ended with serious disorder.
After Celtic won the Scottish Cup quarter-final on penalties, supporters from both clubs entered the pitch and clashes followed. Police Scotland subsequently said that another large away allocation for an Old Firm fixture was “not workable” at that stage.
That could prove hugely significant when the authorities assess the arrangements for this September clash.
So how many Celtic fans could be at Ibrox?
At this stage, an official allocation for the League Cup quarter-final has not been announced.
But the recent history gives Celtic supporters plenty to argue about.
A repeat of the full Broomloan allocation would put thousands more Hoops supporters inside Ibrox and recreate the kind of atmosphere seen during the Scottish Cup meeting.
However, given the police concerns following that match, a figure closer to the normal 2,500 away allocation could be the more realistic expectation.
That is precisely why Celtic fans will be watching the ticket announcement closely.
And if Rangers ultimately restrict Celtic to a much smaller contingent after handing them almost an entire stand for the previous cup meeting, expect another enormous debate between the two clubs’ supporters.
Another Old Firm battle before the football even begins
The football itself promises to be explosive.
Derek McInnes has now secured his first victory as Rangers manager and will have the chance to make an enormous statement by eliminating Celtic from the competition.
Martin O’Neill, meanwhile, will be desperate to ensure Celtic continue their strong start and avoid another painful trip to Ibrox.
But before either manager can worry about tactics, goals or team selection, the ticketing battle is likely to take centre stage.
Will Celtic get thousands of tickets again, or will Rangers and the authorities decide that the previous 7,500-plus allocation was simply too much?
That decision could determine the atmosphere inside Ibrox long before the first whistle is blown.
Nafisa
