Why Hampden Will See 1,000 Empty Seats for Rangers vs Celtic Semi-Final
When Rangers and Celtic face off in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden Park this November, 1,000 seats will remain unfilled due to sanctions handed down by the SPFL.
Both clubs have been hit with reduced ticket allocations – 500 seats each – as punishment for organised pyrotechnic displays during last season’s semi-finals and final. The decision stems from disciplinary hearings earlier this year, where Rangers, Celtic and Motherwell were all found guilty of breaching SPFL Rule H34 by failing to prevent unacceptable conduct from their supporters.
The commission highlighted how pyrotechnic shows at Celtic v Aberdeen, Rangers v Motherwell, and the Celtic v Rangers final caused delays ranging from three to 14 minutes, while also posing health and safety risks for fans, players, and staff.
The sanction means that when the Glasgow rivals meet on the weekend of November 1/2, their usual Hampden allocations will be cut back, leaving visible gaps inside the national stadium. Motherwell will face St Mirren in the other semi-final.
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