Founded in 1887, Celtic is one of the most successful clubs in Scotland. Celtic (LON: CCP) is one of the few publicly traded football clubs in the world. So, it offers investors a rare opportunity to buy shares in a football club and own a piece of the team. Buying shares in Celtic means you can fulfill a childhood dream to become a part-owner.
Celtic revenue largely stems from matchday earnings, broadcasting rights, merchandise and European competition success (which can be hit and miss). While fan loyalty is strong, financial performance is unpredictable, with results often tied to on-pitch success and Champions League participation. Celtic is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and has the ticker name of CCP. This guide will explain how to invest in the club and the risks and rewards of doing so.
Celtic is a Public Limited Company (PLC) and it is listed on the London Stock Exchange. This means buying shares is fairly straightforward. Simply follow the steps below to become a shareholder.
When it comes to investing, the share price of listed football clubs should in theory be driven by the same as any other share; future profit outlook, as well as supply and demand.
Celtic has dominated domestic football for the last 2 decades, including winning the Scottish Premiership title 9 times in a row between the 2011/12 and 2019/20 seasons. However, so far in the 2025/26 season, the club has experienced one of its most disruptive and disappointing seasons to date, with 2 manager sackings and a League Cup final loss to St. Mirren.
Despite being 1 of only 24 teams to win the European cup (now known as the UEFA Champions League), Celtic have not been quite as successful on the European stage in recent years. Celtic are currently in the UEFA Europa League, after failing to qualify for the main draw of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 4 years, following play-off round defeat.
However, Nick Train, a fund manager at Lindsell Train Limited – a substantial shareholder in Celtic – said short-term performance on the field is not a major concern to him when investing.
“The allure to us of live sports franchises is the loyal fan base that is more valued by advertisers than almost any other entertainment medium,” said Train. “Out of a universe of 12 quoted soccer clubs we own three unique franchises; Juventus, Manchester United and Celtic, which all could be readily described as national icons.
“Celtic’s heritage stretches back to 1887 and, with Rangers, dominates Scottish football. Its stadium draws regular crowds of ~60,000 supporters matching the top English Premier League clubs.”
Take a look at Celtic’s share price performance over recent months and years on the graph below. But don’t forget: past performance is no indication of future results.
If you’d prefer not to invest directly in Celtic, you could invest in some of its sponsors or global partners. Football club sponsors provide funds directly to football clubs to buy new kit and equipment as well as travel to games.
If the Covid crisis taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. When it comes to football, the thought of watching an entire season with no fans in the stadiums would have been barely believable a decade ago, but it happened. Similarly, losing out on UEFA Champions League qualification to a much lower ranked side like FC Kairat was also unexpected but again, it can happen!
For investors such as Nick Train, when it comes to taking a stake in the world’s largest sports franchises, it is crucial to try and shut out the noise. Train adopts what is known as a long-term approach to investing. This means when he buys a company, he is prepared to wade out any short-term market moves (known as volatility) and invest for a period of three or more years. This means results on the field and recent scandals such as the European Super League, do not not overly influence his decision to buy or sell. This is something he says all investors should bear in mind when considering buying shares in a football club.
Boasting 55 domestic league titles, 42 Scottish Cups and 22 Scottish League Cups, Celtic has a long history of domestic success. But in 1967, under legendary manager Jock Stein, the club won its most prestigious prize, when the Hoops became the first British team to win the European Cup, beating Internazionale (Inter Milan) 2-1 in Lisbon, Portugal. This team is affectionately referred to as the “Lisbon lions”. Remarkably, every member of this team was born within 30 miles of Parkhead. Celtic remains the only Scottish team to have reached the final of Europe’s flagship club event.
While the thought of investing in Celtic might seem a fun idea, it must be remembered these are not novelty shares, you are buying real shares in a real company. This can bring both risks – namely you won’t get all your money back – and rewards – namely you might make some money if you wish to sell your investment later.
However, like watching the beautiful game, investing in football franchises offers something unique and valuable for investors. It might not quite match a stoppage time winner to beat fierce rivals Rangers, but for those willing to be patient, the rewards might prove to be just as exciting.
To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, features, ease and range of investments across 30+ platforms are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the platform – simple.
Read the full methodologyAll investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
Celtic isn’t the only football team you can buy shares in – you can also buy shares in clubs such as Manchester United, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund amongst others. See the table below for all the current football clubs that you can buy shares in.
| Club | Country | League |
|---|---|---|
| Juventus | Italy | Serie A |
| AS Roma | Italy | Serie A |
| Manchester United FC | England | Premier League |
| Rangers FC | Scotland | Scottish Premiership |
| Borussia Dortmund | Germany | Bundesliga |
Find out how you can buy shares and invest in Dutch football club AFC Ajax, AKA “Sons of the Gods”.
Find out how you can buy shares and invest in Portuguese football club Sporting Lisbon, AKA “the Lions”.
Chelsea FC isn’t publicly listed, so you can’t invest directly in the club – however, there are ways that you can invest indirectly.
Looking to buy Manchester United shares? Our guide shows the Manchester United share price and explains how to buy shares in the club (capital at risk).
Follow this simple 5 step guide to buy and sell shares in the Italian football club AS Roma.
Ever thought about buying shares in Juventus? We talk you through the process with our simple guide.
Looking to buy Rangers shares? Our guide shows the Rangers share price and explains how to buy shares in Rangers.
In this guide, we show you how to buy shares in the German football club Borussia Dortmund in 5 easy steps. Buy its stock now!
