FIFA may allow Scottish clubs to join English Premier League

The football governing body FIFA says that Scottish Celtic and Rangers could ‘theoretically’ make the move to the English Premier League. 

The announcement from FIFA follows comments made by chief executives Peter Lawwell (Celtic) and Martin Bain (Rangers) regarding the future of the clubs. Both executives told the Leaders in Football conference that they see that the clubs eventually parting ways with the Scottish Premier League.

A FIFA spokesman stated that there are a number of football clubs that already play in leagues other than the ones governed by their own countries. An official request would have to be submitted and FIFA would have to judge it against Article 80, which prohibits clubs from joining competitions in other countries without the ‘authorization of its current and prospective members and of FIFA, except in exceptional circumstances.'

A spokesman from the English Premier League stated that the shareholder’ meetings to date have not discussed an invitation to Celtic or the Rangers to a second tier, although some individual club owners may have stated that they have considered the idea.