Jackie McNamara believes the Celtic players will be unconcerned about launching their Scottish title defence on a Monday night because they will be so focused on having another successful season
Fans of the Parkhead club were unhappy when the William Hill Premiership fixtures for the 2026/27 campaign were released at noon yesterday and they learned their heroes would be playing Dundee at home on Monday, August 3.
The match is not being played on the opening weekend because Commonwealth Games track cycling events are being staged at the Chris Hoy Velodrome and Calvin Harris is performing at Hampden.
Celtic, who won their fifth consecutive title with a dramatic final day win over Hearts last month and will unfurl the league flag before kick-off, released a statement yesterday stressing the situation was outwith their control.
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But McNamara, speaking at the launch of the William Hill fixture list in Glasgow, feels that Martin O’Neill and his players will be so concerned about recording a victory they will not let the unusual scheduling of the match affect them.
“To be honest, I think at this time of the season you just get excited like a fan in the first game,” he said. “You know you’ve got to play everybody anyway, but I think just having the fixtures out and in front of you is great. It’s more exciting than ‘I can’t believe we’re playing on Sunday or Monday’.
“It never bothered me when we were playing because we’d fit around the television. People want to see you on the television as well as being at the game. It’s the first game, the flag will be getting unfurled and everyone will be celebrating the previous year.
“Then it is a case of, ‘Right, this is the start of the next season and we need to go and do it again. And that is the players’ mentality because you don’t get long to celebrate last season. It’s gone, it’s history now, it’s ‘what’s the next one?’.”
McNamara continued, “That’s what Martin will be saying when they start back pre-season, that’s the first thing that will be on their mind. Let’s go and win it again, let’s go and try and push to get into the league phase of the Champions League and focus on that.
“This is the first bit when you see the fixture list come out. As a player, you say, ‘Right, first game, we’re home to Dundee on a Monday night, let’s make sure we get off to a good start’.”
The Celtic statement read, “Celtic Football Club has been informed that its first match will be played on Monday, August 3, 2026 in the forthcoming league season.
"With the fixtures being officially released today, it is important that supporters are aware of this as early as possible and the background to this decision, which is outwith our control.
"Clearly, our priority will always be our supporters and, against any measure, staging the champions flag day on a Monday evening is disappointing.
"We have made repeated representations to Police Scotland and to the SPFL to avoid this scheduling. However, surprisingly, we have been told that there is no choice owing to Police Scotland being unable to support the fixture on a weekend which coincides with other events.
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"Through positive dialogue with the SPFL and Sky Sports, however, it has been agreed that in recognition of the demands placed on our travelling supporters, particularly from Ireland, the kick-off will be brought forward to the earlier time of 7.30pm from the previously designated 8pm start, something which is significant for travel connections.
"While it will never detract from the team’s phenomenal and most deserving achievement, we feel strongly that a weekend timing should have been facilitated in the interests of both teams, both sets of supporters and the status of the fixture.
"Regardless of these disappointing circumstances, we will still ensure that this a very special day for our supporters as we celebrate our fifth consecutive Premiership title."
Jackie McNamara was speaking on behalf of SPFL sponsors, William Hill, on the launch of the 2026/27 William Hill SPFL fixtures.
