Football is the world's most popular sport, captivating billions around the globe thanks to its ability to evoke unmatched passion, pride and emotion on a game-to-game basis.
Nowhere are these feelings experienced more deeply than in derby matches around the globe, where history, culture and loyalty collide in fixtures full of intensity.
Among the fiercest of them all is the Old Firm clash between Celtic and Rangers, a rivalry born from historical, political, religious and cultural divides, while the two going on to become Scotland's most successful clubs has certainly added further fuel to the fire.
Here, we look back at how this rivalry began, the head-to-head record, iconic matches and notable statistics.
HISTORY & ORIGIN OF THE OLD FIRM
Although Rangers and Celtic are both based in Glasgow, the origins of this rivalry stem as much from Northern Ireland as they do Scotland, and this is evidenced by the flags and symbols produced by both clubs and supporters on matchdays.
The two clubs themselves do not identify as religious or political institutions, but they have become synonymous to vastly opposing identities, leading to a fierce and hostile rivalry between the two.
The dispute in identities link to religion (Catholic and Protestant), Northern Ireland-related politics (Republican and Loyalist) and national identity (Irish Scots or British), with the subsequent confrontation between Celtic and Rangers supporters often being labelled as ‘Sectarianism'.
Celtic's traditional support comes from a Catholic base, largely from an Irish Scot background, leading to Hoops fans often waving the Irish tricolour, while Rangers' traditional support comes from a Protestant, Loyalist background, often leading to Gers fans waving the Union Jack.
Serving as the one factor in a long list of reasons behind the fierce rivalry between the two, there has also been a number of sporting reasons behind the hostilities shared between the two, dating all the way back to the early 1900s.
After a brief period of friendliness between the two clubs in the years following Celtic's formation in 1887, the two started to compete against each other for titles in the early 1900s, including a Scottish Cup final in 1904 that is believed to have provided the origin of the ‘Old Firm' name now given to the derby.
As the two continued to battle on the pitch, while the religious and political tensions also continued to rise, this rivalry only grew in hatred and intensity, becoming what we now know as one of the fiercest rivalries in football.
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD BETWEEN CELTIC & RANGERS
As of January 2026, Celtic and Rangers have matched up a total of 449 times in official competitive fixtures, featuring 341 Scottish League clashes, 55 Scottish FA Cup meetings and 53 Scottish League Cup encounters.
Rather unbelievably given the vast number of matches competed between the pair, the head-to-head record is narrowly in Rangers' favour by just one victory, with the Gers boasting 172 triumphs to Celtic's 171, while there have also been 106 draws in that time.
There have been several more Old Firm matches in competitions that are not recognised in the official records, including clashes in the Glasgow Cup, British League Cup and Glasgow International Exhibition Cup – although some clashes in said competitions also doubled as Scottish Football League fixtures.
In these unofficial Old Firm fixtures, Rangers have recorded 68 victories to Celtic's 51, alongside 32 stalemates.
KEY MATCHES & ICONIC OLD FIRM FIXTURES
October 1957: Celtic 7-1 Rangers (Scottish League Cup final)
The Old Firm met for the first time in a Scottish League Cup final in October 1957, and it is certainly a match that went down in the history books, especially for Celtic supporters.
Billy McPhail scored a hat-trick, Neil Mochan netted a brace and goals from Sammy Wilson and Willie Fernie sealed a 7-1 triumph for the Bhoys in what remains the biggest scoreline for a major British cup final.
October 1987: Rangers 2-2 Celtic (Scottish Premier Division)
Potentially the most fiery and intense Old Firm meeting saw emotions spill over during the match, ending with several players from both teams ending in up court and charged with a breach of the peace.
Chris Woods (Rangers) and Frank McAvennie (Celtic) were both sent off after a confrontation in the first half, with Terry Butcher (Rangers) following the pair down the tunnel in the second half after also being given his marching orders.
Graham Roberts had to deputise in goal for the final minutes, and the makeshift keeper orchestrated Rangers celebrations in front of the Celtic crowd after a dramatic late draw against the Bhoys – and all those mentioned subsequently ended up in court due to actions arising from the game.
August 1989: Rangers 5-1 Celtic (Scottish Premier Division)
Celtic were still celebrating a domestic double when the two met in August 1989, but any joy for the Bhoys fans was quickly sucked away as Rangers recorded an emphatic 5-1 victory.
The triumph, thanks to goals from Ally McCoist (two), Ray Wilkins, Kevin Drinkell and Mark Walters, marked the beginning of a campaign that saw Rangers go on to lift the title, which would prove to be the first of a dominant era in which the Gers lifted nine Scottish Premiership trophies in a row.
May 2002: Rangers 3-2 Celtic (Scottish FA Cup final)
One of the most memorable Old Firm matchups in the modern era saw Rangers record a dramatic victory against Celtic in the Scottish FA Cup final, thanks to a last-minute header from Gers hero Peter Lovenkrands.
The forward had already scored for Rangers, alongside a stunning Barry Ferguson free-kick, to leave the game level at 2-2 heading into the final seconds, when Lovenkrands nodded home to seal a sensational late win.
April 2016: Rangers 2-2 Celtic – Rangers win 5-4 on penalties (Scottish FA Cup semi-final)
Rangers had been fighting their way back towards the Scottish Premiership after being relegated several tiers following the club's infamous financial issues, and they were still in the Championship at the time of this meeting.
The Championship outfit twice took the lead during the 120 minutes before being pegged back, sending the game to penalties, which Rangers fantastically won 5-4 on penalties after Tom Rogic sent his penalty flying over the crossbar.
Although the Gers went on to devastatingly lose the final to Hibernian, conceding a 92nd-minute winner to David Gray, this semi-final victory remains a fond memory for fans during a difficult period of the club's history.
December 2024: Celtic 3-3 Rangers – Celtic win 5-4 on penalties (Scottish League Cup final)
Celtic and Rangers produced one of the most exciting and action-packed Old Firm derbies in the Scottish League Cup final in December 2024, playing out a 3-3 draw in 120 minutes before the Bhoys emerged victorious on penalties.
Celtic and Rangers battled back and forth for supremacy during the 90 minutes, including Nicolas Gerrit-Kuhn giving the Hoops a 3-2 lead in the 87th-minute before Danilo equalised for the Gers in the 88th, sending the game to extra-time.
Neither were able to find the decisive goal in the subsequent 30 minutes, with the game to be decided on penalties, which Celtic won 5-4 after Ridvan Yilmaz missed the only penalty for the Gers.
NOTABLE RECORDS IN THE OLD FIRM
Biggest winning margin
The biggest winning margin in an Old Firm derby came in the aforementioned Scottish League Cup final meeting in October 1957, when Celtic produced a remarkable 7-1 triumph to both embarrass their rivals and lift the trophy.
Highest goalscorers
Rangers legend McCoist leads the way for scorers in the Old Firm derby, with the striker scoring an impressive 27 times in 55 games between the two sides, three clear of the next closest R.C. Hamilton – also of Rangers.
Celtic's top scorer is Jimmy McGrory, who scored 22 times in 35 appearances in Old Firm fixtures.
Most appearances
A Rangers player also leads the way for most appearances in Old Firm matchups, with Alec Smith featuring in 87 games against Celtic during his 21-year career for the Gers between 1894 and 1915.
Celtic's top appearance maker in Old Firm fixtures is Paul McStay, who featured 70 times during a 16-year stay at the Bhoys from 1981 to 1997.
Most wins as manager
Bill Struth is the most successful manager in Old Firm history, winning 66 matches against Celtic as Rangers boss during his time at the helm between 1920 and 1954, boasting an impressive 57% win rate from his 116 Old Firm fixtures.
Best win percentage as manager
Celtic's Brendan Rodgers has the best win percentage as manager in Old Firm games, winning 63% of his 24 clashes with the Gers during stints at Parkhead between 2016-19 and 2023-25 – equalling to 15 wins.