Rangers, founded in 2012 and based at Ibrox Stadium, remain Celtic’s most scrutinised domestic rival. Their recent honours give the current club its modern frame: the 2020/2021 Premiership title and the 2021/2022 Scottish Cup sit within a total of four Premiership titles, three Scottish Cups and two League Cups.
The squad is sizeable and not inexpensive. Rangers carry 32 players with an average age of 24, and a market value of around £114.5m according to Transfermarkt. That gives them depth on paper, though the table is less flattering at this stage of the 2026/27 Premiership season.
After four league rounds they sit fifth with seven points, with 29 matches still to play. Their recent league run has included away wins at Falkirk and Aberdeen, a draw at Dundee United, and a 2-1 home defeat to Hibernian. The early split is awkward: at Ibrox they are averaging one goal scored and two conceded per match, while away from home they sit at 1.3 scored and 0.7 conceded.
Lawrence Shankland leads their scoring with four goals, ahead of Ryan Naderi on two, with Thelo Aasgaard, Vanja Dragojević and Djeidi Gassama each on one. Rangers have also scored the first goal inside 20 minutes in seven of 19 league matches, suggesting they can start quickly even when the broader picture is uneven.
Their season has already taken in a League Cup quarter-final, the third qualifying round of the Europa League, and a Conference League qualifying play-off. For Celtic supporters, Rangers remain the central domestic reference point – currently close enough to matter, and unsteady enough to watch carefully.
📈 Key stats and insights
⚔️ How they compare to Celtic
Compared with Celtic, Rangers are inferior in attacking threat and overall balance: Celtic lead the division for goals and have a far superior defensive baseline at home, while Rangers' one clear advantage is a stronger away defensive record; on form and firepower Celtic hold the decisive edge.
