What channel is Ayr United v Celtic? Is it on TV? How to watch pre-season friendly

Celtic kick-off their pre-season programme with a short trip down the west coast to face Ayr United on Friday evening.

The match has been arranged to mark the opening of a new North Stand at Somerset Park following a £2million transformation that will boost the stadium capacity by 500.

It also promises to be an emotional evening for Ayr United manager Scott Brown – the former Celtic captain – who lines up in the opposition dugout against the club where he lifted 22 major honours for the first time.

Ayr United will officially open their new North Stand in a friendly match against Celtic on Friday. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

He will pit his wits against his former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, the pair having worked together during the Northern Irishman’s first spell in charge of the Parkhead side which included back-to-back domestic trebles in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

The match is the first of a busy pre-season schedule for Celtic, who also face Queen’s Park next week before embarking on a US tour that will include fixtures against DC United, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Ayr United v Celtic match details

The pre-season friendly takes place at Somerset Park, Ayr, on Friday, July 5, 2024. Kick-off is 7.45pm.

Is Ayr United v Celtic on TV?

The match is not being shown on any TV channels. Celtic TV are showing a live stream of the game which will be available to subscribers. An annual subscription can be purchased for £50, or a premium annual subscription for £80. That will cover all five of Celtic's pre-season friendlies.

Ayr v Celtic team news

Celtic are likely to field a team featuring a number of fringe players and youngsters due to the number of first-team players unavailable. Scotland internationals Callum McGregor, Greg Taylor, Anthony Ralston and James Forrest have been given extra time off to recover from the Euros while Alistair Johnston and Cameron Carter-Vickers are involved in the Copa America with Canada and the USA respectively. Joe Hart has retired so Scott Bain could start in goals. Ayr, meanwhile, have had a busy summer transfer window thus far with new arrivals Scott McMann from Dundee United, George Oakley from Morton and Anton Dowds from Partick Thistle all expected to feature.