Celtic Rigging the Title Again? Ally McCoist Blasts SPFL Favouritism in Brutal Analysis, Sparking Fury Among Fans

Veteran pundit and former Rangers striker Ally McCoist has ignited a fierce debate in Scottish football after strongly criticising the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) over its post‑split fixture schedule claiming the setup appears to favour Celtic and could unfairly influence the destination of this season’s Premiership title.

The revelation of the final fixtures for the 2025‑26 Scottish Premiership has set social media alight and divided fans of the three clubs involved in the title race Celtic, Hearts, and Rangers with McCoist’s blunt comments adding fuel to an already contentious discussion.

Fixture Controversy Explained

Under the Premiership’s split system, after 33 league matches the 12‑team division separates into a top six and bottom six, with each club playing five further games against others in its section to decide the title, European qualification, and relegation.

The crux of the current controversy lies in the schedule for the remaining games, particularly the allocation of home and away fixtures:

Celtic have four of their final six matches at home, including a potentially season‑deciding clash against Hearts at Celtic Park on the final day of the season.

Rangers another title contender  will play three of their post‑split games away, including trips to Hibs and Hearts before hosting only one of the final set at Ibrox.

Hearts have a mixed balance but also face a daunting final match away to Celtic.

This imbalance in home advantage has become a major talking point, with critics arguing it could give Celtic an edge as the season reaches its climax.

McCoist’s Furious Reaction

McCoist, speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast from Paris where he was covering the Champions League, did not mince words. When quizzed about the fixtures that see Celtic host their closest challengers in their final fixture of the season, he claimed it looked like Celtic were “running the thing up here”  a clear insinuation that the club was benefiting from favourable scheduling.

Asked incredulously if the fixture list was genuine, McCoist replied that he could “almost not believe” the way the games were laid out, emphasising Celtic’s number of home matches and questioning whether the league structure had been manipulated in their favour.

While McCoist acknowledged the excitement of what could be a thrilling three‑way title race down to the final day, his choice of words sparked swift reaction from rival fans and pundits across social media.

League’s Response and Explanation

The SPFL has defended its fixture creation process. Calum Beattie, the league’s Chief Operating Officer, explained that the scheduling takes into account a range of logistical factors — including balancing home and away matches over an entire season, police and security considerations, TV broadcast requirements, and the need to avoid derby clashes on the same weekend.

Beattie emphasised that the objective is to end the season with each club having played an equal 19 home and 19 away fixtures, though the split system often results in apparent imbalances in when those matches occur.

Despite these explanations, critics argue that such technical answers do little to silence perceptions of bias and complain that the scheduling decisions  fair on paper  can still create advantages for some teams over others when crucial title races are at stake.

Fan Reactions Across the League

Reactions among supporters have been sharply divided. Celtic fans have largely welcomed the fixture list, viewing it as an opportunity to seize advantage in what has developed into a dramatic final phase of the title hunt. Many supporters pointed to the prospect of a title‑deciding duel against Hearts at Celtic Park as a “perfect” setup, expressing optimism about the Hoops’ chances.

By contrast, fans of Rangers and Hearts have been far more critical. On social media, many supporters labelled the fixtures as suspicious or unfair, with some even using hyperbolic language about widespread favouritism within the league structure.

Unofficial fan commentary such as discussions on Reddit  highlights the passionate reaction from rival supporters who believe the distribution of home and away matches disproportionately benefits Celtic despite them being third in the table going into the post‑split fixtures.

Pundits Strike Back

Not all football figures agree with McCoist’s view. Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton hit back at the criticism, describing McCoist’s claim as simplistic and reminding critics that the basic mechanics of the split system were known in advance. Sutton pointed to the fact that Celtic’s schedule  including the final home match  merely balanced their earlier sequence of away fixtures within the full season.

Meanwhile, Derek McInnes, manager of Hearts, took a more measured approach. Rather than adding to the controversy, McInnes downplayed the scheduling debates, insisting that where the games are played is less important than how teams perform on the pitch

The Title Race Intensifies

As things stand, Hearts are leading the Premiership table, with Rangers and Celtic close behind, setting up a thrilling run‑in that could go down to the final matchday. The nature of the split’s fixture list means every point gained or dropped in the last six games will be critical  and the added fuel of controversy only increases the stakes.

If Hearts maintain their lead, they could even clinch their first title since 1960 at Celtic Park  an outcome that would add another twist to an already dramatic narrative.

What Happens Next

The Premiership’s final rounds are scheduled to be among the most thrilling in recent memory. With Celtic hosting Rangers and Hearts in key matches, and Rangers still with opportunities to claw back points, the title race will unfold intensely for supporters and critics alike.

Whether the SPFL’s fixture process will face further scrutiny remains to be seen. For now, McCoist’s comments have ensured that discussions about fairness and competitive balance will form part of the conversation as the title race enters its decisive stages and fans across Scotland and beyond will be watching closely as events unfold.