Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Graham Ruthven

US owners have taken over half of the Scottish Premiership – what’s in it for them?

Mohammed Diomande of Rangers is seen after scoring his team's opening goal during the pre-season friendly match between Rangers and Club Brugge at Ibrox Stadium on July 06, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Rangers’ recent takeover by the 49ers group makes it half of all Scottish Premiership clubs with US ownership. Photograph: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

A club that plays in red, white and blue was always ripe for American investment. The arrival of Andrew Cavenagh and the San Francisco 49ers as Rangers’ new owners has the potential to shake up a Scottish top division that has been won by Rangers’ fierce rivals, Celtic, in 13 of the last 14 seasons.

It’s not just at the top, however, where American money is reshaping Scottish soccer. Six of the Scottish Premiership’s 12 clubs are now American-owned. The 49ers’ purchase of Rangers wasn’t even the only US takeover of a Scottish club this summer: Calvin Ford, the great-great-grandson of Henry Ford, completed a deal to buy Livingston. Scotland’s top division is now just one club away from having a majority of American owners.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.