OVER four million fans turned out to watch their teams across all four Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) divisions in season 2021/22, as attendances across the country bounced back from the pandemic.
A total of 4,082,038 fans attended matches across the cinch Premiership, cinch Championship, cinch League 1 and cinch League 2, including play-off fixtures.
Another 383,260 fans attended fixtures across the Premier Sports Cup and SPFL Trust Trophy competitions. Those additional crowds mean 4,465,298 fans attended SPFL competitions across the season.
The total figures would have been even higher if matches at the start of the season hadn’t been played with reduced attendances due to Covid restrictions, while there was also a spell during December and January when fan numbers were reduced to a maximum of 500.
Capacity attendances were allowed for the majority of the 2021/22 season. The 2018/19 season was the last to be played to a finish with full crowds, after season 2019/20 was curtailed early due to the Covid lockdown.
Neil Doncaster, SPFL chief executive, said: “It is incredible that we’ve had over four million fans back in stadia, which underlines the central role which Scotland’s national sport plays in communities all over the country.
“It is hugely encouraging to see such impressive attendances across all four cinch SPFL divisions, especially given how tough much of the last two years has been for our members.
“It is also a very timely financial boost for our 42 clubs, who played almost entirely behind closed doors during the 2020/21 season.
“Attendances in Scottish football continue to greatly outperform other countries of a similar size, and this is a real credit to the loyalty of supporters across the country, as well as the hard work of our individual clubs.
“The clubs themselves served up hugely compelling and competitive league battles, and we are all looking forward to more of the same next season across all four cinch SPFL divisions.”
