The Scottish Premiership’s winter break has been moved forward but the matches scheduled for Boxing Day will go ahead.
The SPFL board has been in discussions with clubs and relevant stakeholders, including broadcaster Sky Sports, after the Scottish Government imposed a limit of 500 spectators at outdoor sporting events for a three-week period from Boxing Day amid rising Covid-19 cases.
The top flight clubs were due to start a scheduled winter break on January 4 but 10 of the 12 clubs were understood to be in favour of bringing that forward to minimise the number of games played in front of such sparse crowds.
The SPFL have confirmed that the Premiership fixtures scheduled for December 29 and January 2-3 have been moved to January 17-18 and February 1-2.
The Boxing Day fixtures will go ahead as scheduled.
Aberdeen, who host Dundee at Pittodrie on Boxing Day, were due to face Rangers at home on December 29 before travelling to Dingwall to face Ross County on January 2.
The Staggies travel to Edinburgh to face Hearts on Boxing Day and were due to face Motherwell and the Dons in Dingwall.
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “We have had intense and positive discussions with all SPFL clubs over the past 24 hours, since the announcement by the Scottish Government of a three-week period of restrictions on fans attending matches.
“We have advised our clubs that any postponements increase the risk of further disruption to an already highly congested fixture calendar.
“There are mixed views amongst Premiership clubs about what to do for the best.
“However, a majority favour the postponement of fixtures to give a chance for games scheduled to be played over the festive period to be played in front of fans, once the three-week period of restrictions comes to an end.
“The SPFL board has agreed to postpone the December 29 and New Year Premiership fixture cards.
“Championship, League 1 and League 2 clubs voted to continue playing through the Government restrictions and we look forward to their festive fixtures over the next fortnight.
“We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Sky Sports and Police Scotland for their flexibility in accommodating these changes and to all SPFL clubs for their clear, positive and constructive feedback as we work together to get through the challenges posed by Covid-19.”
The rescheduled Premiership fixtures will be as follows:
Monday 17 January
Celtic v Hibernian
Tuesday 18 January
Aberdeen v Rangers (live on Sky Sports)
Dundee United v St Mirren
Heart of Midlothian v St Johnstone
Livingston v Dundee
Ross County v Motherwell
Tuesday 1 February
Dundee v Dundee United
Hibernian v Heart of Midlothian (live on Sky Sports)
Livingston v St Johnstone
Ross County v Aberdeen
St Mirren v Motherwell
Wednesday 2 February
Celtic v Rangers (live on Sky Sports)
All games are scheduled to kick-off at 7.45pm.
