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Rangers confirm temporary switch to Hampden
16/07/2024
It’s due to renovation work at Ibrox
Rangers have confirmed plans for a temporary switch to Hampden.
The Scottish FA and league boards have approved the plan for the Light Blues to play their opening home games at the national stadium while renovation works continue at Ibrox.
A delayed shipment of steel from Asia has heled up work on the Copland Road Stand and there is no certainty over when Rangers will return home.
Their opening two William Hill Premiership home matches against Motherwell and Ross County will take place at Hampden along with European games and a Premier Sports Cup second-round tie – if Rangers are drawn at home.
A Rangers statement read: “The club is continuing to work tirelessly on the Copland Stand project at Ibrox to complete that as soon as possible. As soon as the club can provide a definitive update on matches returning to our home, it will do so.
“Rangers again puts on record its thanks to the Scottish FA and the SPFL for their considerable work in reaching this solution.
“Above all, the club thanks our supporters for their ongoing patience and understanding as we deal with this challenge.”
A joint statement from the football authorities read: “The Scottish FA and SPFL have approved Rangers FC’s request to host the club’s home matches at Hampden Park, due to ongoing works at Ibrox Stadium.
“The arrangement includes the club’s home matches up to Scotland’s UEFA Nations League fixture at home to Poland on September 5 and the SPFL board has approved Rangers playing such matches away from their own registered ground.
“As part of the agreement, Rangers have committed to fund an accelerated pitch growth programme to ensure the Hampden surface is ready for the club’s first home game.”
With both stadiums boasting a similar capacity of about 50,000, Rangers have promised season ticket holders will each get access to the matches as normal.
Rangers’ third home league match of the season is against Hibernian on September 28.
Queen’s Park’s home Championship game against Livingston at the City Stadium, formerly known as Lesser Hampden, has been brought forward to August 9 to avoid a fixture clash.
Livingston chief executive Dave Black was unhappy with that decision, writing on his X account: “It’s disappointing that our schedule has been impacted by matters entirely unrelated to our own football club.
“Whilst having sympathy that unexpected issues can occur, I don’t believe our fixture should be the one inconvenienced to remedy that.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub