Leading soccer clubs post falling shares in Q1

The world’s leading soccer clubs failed to impress investors as they reported declining stock market performance in the first quarter of the year.

The Middle East conflict eroded risk appetite in global markets, also affecting the shares of leading publicly traded soccer clubs.

English club Manchester United’s shares climbed 5.7% and Italian club Lazio’s shares rose 0.4% in the first quarter. Manchester United maintained its third-place position in the Premier League this season, continuing its upward trajectory in the league.

The English club also posted a net profit of 4.2 million British pounds ($5.9 million) for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2025, marking a sharp improvement compared with a loss of 27.7 million British pounds ($37.5 million) in the same period of 2024.

The club’s financial recovery and improved performance on the field positively influenced its stock performance.

Meanwhile, Dutch club Ajax’s shares fell 0.5%, Scottish club Celtic’s shares declined 2%, and Portuguese clubs Benfica and Sporting Lisbon lost 2.2% and 3.5%, respectively.

German club Borussia Dortmund’s shares dropped 8%, Portuguese club Porto’s shares declined 17.7%, and Italian club Juventus’ shares fell 30.6%.

Ajax’s performance remained below expectations in the Netherlands’ top-flight Eredivisie this season.

Meanwhile, Celtic’s pre-tax profit fell 70% in the six-month period ending Dec. 31, 2025, reaching 13.2 million British pounds ($17.8 million) compared with the same period the previous year, while its revenue dropped 29% to 83.5 million British pounds ($113.1 million).

Borussia Dortmund was eliminated by Italian club Atalanta in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League, fueling expectations that the club’s revenue from broadcasting rights, bonuses and sponsorships may decline.

Turkish club Galatasaray eliminated Juventus in the UEFA Champions League, which contributed to the decline in the Italian club’s shares, while Juventus has also been trailing in the Serie A title race.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim