Celtic and Rangers referee selections for the opening weekend confirmed against Kilmarnock and Hearts

The Scottish FA have announced the referee selections for the first weekend of the upcoming 2024/25 season. The opening round of fixtures begin next Saturday in the Premiership.

Celtic won the title last season and will be hoping to retain top spot once again in the next campaign. Their rivals Rangers will want to have something to say about that though as they prepare for next term under Philippe Clement.

Here is a look at who will be officiating the first fixture for the Glasgow pair...

Rangers

Rangers head to Tynecastle Park to play Hearts on Saturday 3rd August. Steven Naismith’s side finished 3rd in the table in 2023/24.

The game kicks-offs at 12:30pm and is being shown live on Sky Sports. Nick Walsh has been appointed as the man in the middle, with Frank Connor and Calum Spence as his assistants.

The fourth official is Iain Snedden. Meanwhile, Andrew Dallas and Sean Carr are on VAR duties.

Walsh, who is 33-years-old, oversaw his first game back in 2013 in a League Two clash between Clyde and Queen’s Park and also works for FIFA. He has been with the Scottish FA since then and he refereed the second ever Scottish match with VAR between Celtic and Hearts in 2022.

Celtic

Celtic lock horns with Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on Sunday 4th August. Their match kicks-off at 16:30pm and is on Sky Sports as well.

Don Robertson has been appointed as their referee with David Roome and Craig Ferguson as his assistants. Grant Irvine is the fourth official and Greg Aitken and Jonathan Bell are on VAR.

Robertson, 37, began in 2011 and has since made 268 appearances. As well as the Premiership, he has refereed in the Europa League, Europa Conference League and Euro qualifiers.

Brendan Rodgers criticised him in March after Celtic’s 2-0 away loss at Hearts. He said after the match: “I spoke to him (Don Robertson) in the tunnel just briefly, but it’s a waste of time if I’m honest. There is no change and I also think as well that VAR is not the problem here. That’s clear. It’s incompetence.

“I think the first one is a great example of the game being refereed outside of the pitch. This is the thing everyone is talking about, that the officials do their job and if it’s something that’s clear and obvious maybe step in. The referee made the decision and someone outside made another decision to say it was a sending-off. So that’s the game being refereed outside of the field and in big games that costs you.”

Premiership fixtures in full on the opening weekend

Saturday 3rd August:

Hearts vs Rangers, Tynecastle Park, 12:30pm KO, Referee: Nick Walsh

Motherwell vs Ross County, Fir Park, 15:00pm KO, Referee: John Beaton

Sunday 4th August:

Dundee United vs Dundee, Tannadice Park, 13:30pm KO, Referee: David Dickinson

St Mirren vs Hibs, St Mirren Park, 15:00pm KO, Referee: Matthew MacDermid

Celtic vs Kilmarnock, Celtic Park, 16:30pm KO, Referee: Don Robertson

Monday 5th August:

St Johnstone vs Aberdeen, McDiarmid Park, 20:00pm KO, Referee: Kevin Clancy