force to make official decision after Private Communications between officials leaked and raise an eyebrow
Rangers vs Kilmarnock referee revealed for Premiership clash
The SFA has confirmed the officiating team for Rangers’ Scottish Premiership match against Kilmarnock.
Danny Rohl will be looking to get back to winning ways, following last Sunday’s draw against Hibernian at Easter Road. They take on Kilmarnock, who are managed by former player and coach Neil McCann, who returns to Ibrox for the first time since his interim stint as assistant to Barry Ferguson last season.
Ahead of the midweek fixture, the SFA has confirmed that the match will be officiated by David Dickinson, who will act as on-field referee. Jonathan Bell and Gordon Crawford will assist him on their respective touchlines, while Chris Graham will be in charge of VAR, assisted by Frank Connor at Clydesdale House
This will be the fourth Rangers game that Dickinson will have officiated this season, following the 46-year-old’s involvement in the club’s 2-2 draw with Dundee United at Tannadice in December. Furthermore, he took charge of Rohl’s 1-0 win over Motherwell at Ibrox that same month, before acting as the man in the middle for their 2-0 win at Pittodrie against Aberdeen.
As for Kilmarnock, Dickinson has taken charge of three games involving the Ayrshire side, including matches against Falkirk and Hibernian. Additionally, he officiated the club’s dramatic Premier Sports Cup meeting against St Mirren at the quarter-final stage, which Stephen Robinson’s side won via a penalty shootout.
It is set to be a busy midweek in Scotland, with Hearts facing St Mirren on Tuesday, before Rangers and Celtic, who are level on points, are in action against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen, respectively.
Rangers drew 0-0 with Hibernian at Easter Road, with Mikey Moore’s 75th-minute goal disallowed due to a marginal offside call. The decision sparked controversy, with Rangers manager Danny Röhl expressing frustration, saying “We have to make the difference between the first 25 minutes and the end. We were better in the first 25, and then we lost the structure a little bit” ¹ ².
The match was a tense affair, with Hibs dominating the first half and creating several chances. Jack Butland made crucial saves to keep Rangers in the game, including a fingertip save from Elie Youan’s curling effort. Rangers struggled to create chances, but Moore’s disallowed goal was their first real opportunity of the game.
The Scottish FA has apologized for the “procedural breakdown” in the VAR decision, releasing audio that reveals confusion among officials about the offside call. The apology has done little to ease frustration among Rangers supporters, who feel the decision cost them valuable points in the title race
The Scottish FA (SFA) has issued a formal apology to Rangers following the release of “eye-opening” VAR audio regarding Mikey Moore’s disallowed goal during their 0-0 draw against Hibernian at Easter Road on February 1, 2026. The incident has sparked intense debate over the consistency and communication of officiating in the Scottish Premiership.
According to the SFA, there was initial confusion regarding the “kick point” of the ball and which Hibernian defender was being used as the deepest line. The governing body acknowledged that while the final offside call remained “subjective but supported by the lines,” the process leading to the decision was flawed ¹.
Rangers manager Danny Röhl expressed his dismay immediately after the match, and the “eye-opening” nature of the audio has intensified calls from the Ibrox hierarchy for greater transparency and a complete overhaul of how VAR is implemented in Scotland.
The SFA’s apology offers little consolation to Rangers, who dropped two valuable points in the title race, leaving them six points adrift of league leaders Hearts and level with rivals Celtic
