Press release | 06/03/23

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) is gearing up for its highest cinch League 1 attendance in nearly nine years – as Dunfermline Athletic host Falkirk in a top-of-the-table clash.

Dunfermline Athletic revealed that an incredible 8,700 tickets have already been sold for the derby match at the KDM Group East End Park tomorrow night.

The attendance for the match between the Pars, who sit five points clear in first, and the Bairns, who sit in second, will be the highest in Scotland’s third tier since the 2013/14 season.

Neil Doncaster, SPFL chief executive, said: “It is great to see such an impressive attendance in cinch League 1, in what promises to be a hugely exciting match.

“Attracting such a large attendance to a third-tier match is testament to how compelling the title race is in cinch League 1. 

“Both clubs deserve real credit for the excitement that has been generated around this match, and we wish them both the very best of luck for this game and the remainder of the season.”

The previous two matches between the clubs this season have already attracted an impressive 13,949 supporters. 

It’s a night of big fixtures across the divisions, with fourth-placed Greenock Morton hosting fifth-placed Ayr United in the cinch Championship.

Top-of-the-table Dumbarton also host second-placed Stirling Albion in cinch League 2, as five points separate the sides. 

It is more good attendance news for the SPFL, who last month hailed figures showing Scottish football has by far the highest attendance per capita in European football this season.

The stats show that Scotland has 21.3 attendees per 1000 people at matches across its top four divisions, and a weekly average support of 117,700 fans for SPFL matches.

This attendance per capita is over 65 per cent higher than second placed country Netherlands, which has 12.9 attendees per 1000 people. 

Last season over four million fans turned out to watch their teams across all four SPFL divisions in season 2021/22.