Tartan Army face scramble for tickets as UEFA confirm limit

SCOTLAND fans could be handed an official allocation of only around 1,900 tickets for their first game at a major finals for 23 years after UEFA confirmed there will be 12,000 spectators for the Euro 2020 games at Hampden.

Steve Clarke’s side will kick off their tournament against Czech Republic on June 14 and will also play Croatia there after a trip to Wembley to play England.

European football’s governing body this week confirmed the capacities for the stadiums that will be used for the finals and also outlined advice for fans at the game which included a ban on hugging, handshakes and high-fives, mandatory face masks being worn and the prospect of having to arrive hours before kick-off.

UEFA are yet to confirm the final breakdown of how the 12,000 briefs will be distributed because they have to wait until their ticketreturn portal closes. They will then have to do a ballot among existing ticket holders because the reduced capacities will almost certainly not meet the demand.

Scotland were one of four nations who qualified for the finals via the play-offs, and who weren’t given an initial allocation because the games were after the date of when the original tickets were distributed. UEFA stated this week that the sale of those tickets will begin in May. At present, that number is expected to be just 1,920 tickets for the Scotland Supporters Club based on how UEFA previously decided they would allocate the briefs.

But the SSC has a current membership of 24,712 which will mean there will be an almighty ticket scramble among the Tartan Army, with a points system likely to be used.

UEFA’s latest figures indicated 50 per cent will go to current ticket holders, which will be 6,000. The remaining 6,000 tickets will be divided between both national associations, at 16 per cent each (1,920), with the rest split between commercial partners, hospitality, VIP guests and the ‘UEFA football family’.