Celtic’s corporation tax charges over the past three financial years have reached a staggering £23.56 million.
The club recorded charges of £7.37m in 2023, £4.44m in 2024 and £11.75m in 2025. That latest figure represents a dramatic rise and reflects another hugely profitable year for the Scottish champions.
Those figures should prompt a serious discussion about Celtic’s priorities.
Paying tax is an unavoidable consequence of making money, and there is an important distinction between the tax charge recorded in the accounts and the cash paid to HMRC during that particular year.
Spending money also does not reduce tax pound-for-pound. Transfer fees are generally accounted for across a player’s contract, while infrastructure projects are subject to their own tax and capital-allowance rules.
Even with those qualifications, Celtic’s enormous profitability strengthens the argument that more of the club’s resources could be reinvested.
The club’s accounts show that Celtic did invest during the 2025 financial year. It spent £37.8m on intangible assets, primarily player registrations, and £11.7m on property, plant and equipment. Despite that, its cash balance still stood at £77.3m on June 30, 2025. The accounts also confirmed an £11.75m taxation charge and £12.43m of tax actually paid during the year. [Celtic plc Annual Report 2025]
The question, therefore, is whether Celtic could be doing considerably more.
That investment does not have to be limited to signing players, although the squad clearly requires improvement. Celtic Park and the wider matchday experience also need attention.
In some sections of the stadium, particularly the main stand, supporters are served pies through what amounts to a hole in the wall. There are no chips, never mind the salt-and-pepper chicken available elsewhere, and the toilets do not even have hot water.
These may sound like minor complaints when discussed alongside multimillion-pound transfers, but they represent the basic experience of ordinary supporters who continually put money into the club.
Against that backdrop, upgrading the Number 7 Restaurant, an improvement that will benefit only a tiny proportion of the matchday crowd, is unlikely to satisfy fans who believe the wider stadium has been neglected.
Chief financial officer Chris McKay will understand the tax position far better than any supporter. He will also recognise that holding such a substantial cash balance while facilities require improvement and the squad needs strengthening will inevitably attract criticism.
The 2023 and 2024 accounts recorded corporation tax charges of £7.37m and £4.44m respectively. They also showed Celtic’s cash balance rising from £72.3m to £77.2m during 2024, despite expenditure on Barrowfield, Lennoxtown and stadium maintenance. [Celtic plc Annual Report 2024]
Tax charges fell during the pandemic period, as would be expected when Celtic’s income and profitability were badly affected. Since then, however, the numbers have climbed sharply alongside the club’s financial recovery.
Celtic have seemed remain profitable this year and all things point to another positive annual result, although the final 2026 tax charge cannot be known until the full-year position is established.
The club should never spend recklessly merely to reduce a tax bill. That would make no financial sense.
But Celtic are not being asked to throw money away. They are being asked to invest intelligently in the playing squad, the stadium, training facilities and the supporters’ matchday experience.
Money paid in tax is gone. Sensible investment can leave Celtic with better players, stronger infrastructure and assets capable of generating future success.
The club have the resources. Supporters can see where improvements are required. The board now needs to show greater ambition in putting Celtic’s money to work.
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nice to know we are a well run club that pays there bills there’s more to Celtic fc 1888 if they didnt pay these bills they would be able to buy top players but we supporters would rather have Celtic fc 1888 than been liqudated even if you can l
keep trophies history thats a joke we all know the club no longer Celtic fc 1888 and that would be the end of a great club history would only be that of the club that never payed there debts only in scotland people still insisted your still the same club no matter who owns you look at rfc now rifc to keep insisting there still rfc instead of rifc sevco 49ers I wish I could do this but like Celtic fc 1888 we have to pay our debts