NafisaRangers and Celtic supporters will have to wait a little longer to see their teams back in Scottish Premiership action after major fixture changes were confirmed for this weekend.
The decision affects both Glasgow giants, although it has nothing to do with another Old Firm meeting.
Instead, the postponements are directly linked to the demands of European football and the clubs’ attempts to progress further in UEFA competition.
Rangers were originally scheduled to welcome St Mirren to Ibrox on Saturday, August 22, while Celtic were due to travel to face St Johnstone on the same day.
Neither fixture will now take place this weekend.
The SPFL confirmed that Rangers v St Mirren and St Johnstone v Celtic had already been postponed as part of its policy allowing clubs involved in UEFA play-offs to move their domestic fixtures in order to maximise their chances of reaching a European league phase.
The decision was not taken because either club had requested special treatment at the last minute.
In fact, the SPFL had already established a policy allowing clubs involved in European play-offs to postpone their third-round Premiership fixtures without needing the agreement of their opponents.
That policy was approved by the SPFL Board in April 2025 following a recommendation from its Competitions Working Group, specifically to support Scottish clubs competing in UEFA qualification.
For Rangers, the timing is particularly important given their European commitments and the need to balance domestic football with their Conference League qualification campaign.
Derek McInnes’ side are currently fighting to reach the Conference League league phase after their European campaign took another turn, while Celtic are also dealing with the demands of their own Champions League qualification push.
The SPFL had confirmed that postponed fixtures involving clubs in European play-offs would be rearranged into specific European midweek windows.
The initial plan is for affected matches to be played either during the exclusive Champions League midweek of September 8/9 or the exclusive Europa League midweek of September 15/16. However, the exact dates cannot be confirmed until the UEFA league-phase draws have taken place at the end of August.
That means supporters expecting an immediate replacement date for Rangers v St Mirren or St Johnstone v Celtic will have to wait.
There is therefore no officially confirmed new date for either match at this stage.
The SPFL’s latest fixture list shows the weekend now looking very different, with Dundee United v Dundee the only Premiership fixture currently scheduled for Saturday, August 22. The Dundee derby is due to kick off at 5.45pm.
The postponements could actually prove useful for both Glasgow clubs.
European qualification is now the priority, and avoiding a domestic fixture immediately around crucial two-legged ties gives both managers additional time to prepare their squads, recover players and potentially make further improvements to their teams.
For Rangers, that breathing space will be particularly valuable as McInnes continues reshaping his squad.
The Ibrox club have already made a significant number of additions this summer, but the manager has repeatedly indicated that more quality is required before he considers the squad complete.
Celtic, meanwhile, are attempting to navigate the Champions League qualification process under Martin O’Neill and will also welcome the opportunity to manage their schedule more carefully.
The postponements also mean supporters will have to keep an eye on the European draws before making definite plans for the rearranged domestic fixtures.
One thing is already clear: Rangers will not play St Mirren at Ibrox this Saturday, while Celtic’s trip to St Johnstone has also been called off.
And despite some claims that a new date has already been revealed, the SPFL has not yet officially confirmed when either game will be played.
The governing body has stated that the rearranged dates will be published once the UEFA league-phase draws have taken place.
So for Rangers and Celtic supporters, the wait continues — with European football now dictating when their postponed Premiership fixtures can finally be played.
Nafisa
