Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead district of Glasgow, Scotland, and has served as the home ground of Celtic FC since it opened on 20 August 1892. Known affectionately as “Paradise,” a nickname coined by a journalist who likened the move from Celtic’s cramped original ground to “leaving the graveyard to enter paradise,” the stadium remains one of British football’s most storied venues.
With a capacity of 60,411, Celtic Park is the largest football stadium in Scotland and ranks among the biggest in the United Kingdom. The ground was extensively rebuilt between 1994 and 1998 to comply with the all-seater requirements of the Taylor Report, transforming it into the modern bowl that hosts Celtic’s fixtures and major events today.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Celtic FC
- Location: Parkhead, Glasgow, Scotland
- Opened: 20 August 1892
- Capacity: 60,411
- Record attendance: 83,500 (Old Firm derby, 1 January 1938)
- Also known as: Parkhead, “Paradise”
The Matchday Experience
On matchdays, Celtic Park fills with a wall of green and white as supporters pack the stadium’s steep stands, including a section of rail (safe standing) seating for 2,975 fans installed in 2016. The atmosphere is especially charged during Old Firm derbies against Rangers, a fixture with over a century of history that has drawn some of the largest crowds ever recorded at a British football ground.
Beyond league and cup football, Celtic Park has hosted more than 20 Scotland international matches and staged the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, showing its versatility as one of Scotland’s premier large-scale venues.
History and Rebuilding
The current Celtic Park site has been in continuous use since 1892, replacing an earlier ground nearby that the club vacated after a steep rent increase. In its early decades the venue hosted more than football, including the 1897 world track cycling championships, shinty-hurling exhibitions, and rugby league matches.
Financial strain in the early 1990s delayed modernization until Fergus McCann took control of Celtic in March 1994 and financed a phased reconstruction completed by 1998, producing the enclosed, all-seater stadium that stands today. The ground has since hosted concerts by acts such as U2 and The Who.
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Celtic Park FAQs
Who plays at Celtic Park?
Celtic Park is the home stadium of Celtic FC, who have played there since it opened in 1892.
What is the capacity of Celtic Park?
Celtic Park holds 60,411 spectators, making it the largest football stadium in Scotland.
Why is Celtic Park called ‘Paradise’?
The nickname originated from a journalist who compared Celtic’s move from its cramped original ground to the new site as “leaving the graveyard to enter paradise.”
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Photo: Vincenzo.togni / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.