Ed Sheeran Acquires Minority Stake in English Football Club Ipswich Town

Ed Sheeran attends the UK premiere of "Yesterday" in London on June 18, 2019. Henry Nicholls/Reuters

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has acquired a minority share in Ipswich Town, a professional soccer team (known as football in the U.K.) located in Ipswich in Suffolk County, England.

Sheeran, 33, took to Instagram on Aug. 15 to share the news.

“Really excited to announce that I have bought a small percentage of my hometown football club,” he said.

In his announcement, the “Shape of You” singer—who was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk—expressed gratitude for the opportunity.

“It’s any football fans dream to be an owner in the club they support,” he wrote. “I’ve lived in Suffolk since I was 3, and although I have travelled the world and sometimes feel like an outsider in big cities, Suffolk and Ipswich have always made me feel part of a community and protected.”

On Thursday, Ipswich Town confirmed that Sheeran had acquired a 1.4 percent ownership share, noting that the singer is only a passive investor and does not hold a position on the club’s board of directors.

“I’m not a voting shareholder or a board member, this is just me putting some money into the club I love and them returning the gesture, so please don’t get onto me with signing suggestions or tactics lol,” Sheeran shared online.

However, the musician will still enjoy a few added benefits as part of the agreement, including receiving a customized executive box at the club’s Portman Road Stadium.

“For one of the biggest artists in the world to give us so much of his time and give the club such incredible exposure around the world, while asking for very little in return, highlights just what makes this relationship such a special one,” Mark Ashton, the club’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement, per The Times.

Ipswich Town

In his post, Sheeran wrote that it was “such a joy” to be a fan of the club. “There are ups and downs, but football is about taking the highs with the lows,” he offered.

Ipswich Town, colloquially referred to as the “Tractor Boys,” was established in 1878 before transitioning to professional status in 1936, per the club’s website. However, in 2002, the club was relegated to the Football League’s First Division following a 5–0 loss to Liverpool.

After spending 22 seasons in the lower leagues, Ipswich Town made its return to the Premier League this season, which kicked off on Aug. 16.

On Saturday, Ipswich Town opened its season at home, once again facing off against Liverpool. Sheeran shared his thoughts in a promotional interview ahead of the match, saying, “It’s gonna be fun.”

“I woke up at 5 today it felt like Christmas. I literally like just woke up just buzzing for it,” he continued. “I’m pumped. I think we'll win.”

Liverpool ultimately clinched the win with a 2–0 victory. Following the loss, Kieran McKenna, Ipswich Town’s manager, said he was proud of his players nonetheless.

“I think there are so many positives which we can build on for the season,” he shared in a press release, published Aug. 17.

“I thought we were really aggressive, brave out of possession and made it really difficult for Liverpool to play. The crowd had a big part in making it a difficult place to come and play, and that is going to be very important for us,” he continued. “There’s positives to take and lessons to learn, and I think it’s a game that stands us in pretty good stead.”

In addition to being an avid fan and a minority owner of Ipswich Town, Sheeran has been the club’s shirt sponsor since 2021. Earlier this month, the singer announced the club’s newest kit, which he helped to design.

“I wanted to incorporate Framlingham castle on here, as it’s my home town, and in my opinion a huge land mark of Suffolk. We used ‘Suffolk pink’ which nods to the way cottages have been painted here for generations, but also how beautiful the sunset is in our amazing county. There’s also sound waves from the noise of fans at Portman Road all over the shirt,” he shared on Aug. 9 via Instagram.

“It feels like such an honour to be involved in this football club, and be able to create things so close to my heart, which has always been my hometown, family and friends. Which is what football is about really.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.