Benfica Leads Football Stock Rally in H1 2025

Shares of major publicly traded football clubs rose in the first half of 2025, with Portugal's Benfica topping the list with a 61.9% surge. The rally was fueled in part by US investment fund Lenore Sports Partners increasing its stake in the club to 5.24%, pushing Benfica shares to an all-time high in May, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency

Germany’s Borussia Dortmund followed with a 25.2% gain, while Celtic rose 16.4%, Manchester United 3%, Juventus 2.2%, and Ajax 1.5%.

Manchester United also tightened financial controls, cutting around 200 jobs amid cash flow challenges.

Meanwhile, Lazio’s shares dropped 23.1% after missing out on European competition, raising investor concerns over lost broadcast and sponsorship revenue. Porto’s stock slipped 4.6% despite raising €50 million through new bonds, as the funds largely went toward repaying earlier debt.