Columbus Crew Manager Wilfried Nancy Reaches Agreement to Become Celtic F.C.’s Next Manager
Glasgow, Scotland – Wilfried Nancy, the highly prosperous manager of the Columbus Crew, has reached an agreement to become the next manager of Scottish Premiership club Celtic F.C., sources confirmed today. The move brings an end to Nancy’s three-year tenure with the Crew, where he transformed the club into a consistent MLS contender and 2023 MLS Cup champion.
The appointment marks a notable shift for Celtic, one of Scotland’s most storied football clubs, as thay seek to continue their dominance in the Scottish Premiership and make a deeper impact in European competitions. Nancy’s tactical acumen and player development skills, honed during his time in Major League Soccer, are expected to be key assets for the Hoops.
Nancy was hired as Montréal’s head coach on March 8, 2021, and previously led the club to a club-best regular season record of 20-9-5 (0.662) in 2022.During his tenure with Montréal and Columbus, seven players – Max Arfsten (USA), Mohamed Farsi (Algeria), Steven Moreira (cape Verde), Aidan Morris (USA), Jacen Russell-Rowe (Canada), Patrick Schulte (USA) and Sean Zawadzki (USA) – earned their first senior caps with their respective national teams.
In 2024,Steven Moreira was voted as the 2024 MLS Defender of the Year and joined Hernández’s on the 2024 MLS Best XI. In 2025, midfielder Max Arfsten was selected as an MLS All-star and Homegrown midfielder Taha Habroune was named to the 22 under 22 list. Six players under Nancy’s tutelage were named to Canada’s final roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Prior to his head coaching roles, Nancy spent a decade within Montréal’s Academy system, holding positions with the U-18s (2011-13), U-21s (2014), and U-16s (2014-15) before becoming a first Team assistant in January 2016. He holds USSF Pro, UEFA A and Canadian Soccer Association A licenses, and obtained the Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL) diploma in 2014.
Born in France, Nancy had a 10-year professional playing career from 1995-2005, representing French clubs Sporting Club Toulon, Beaucairois, Raon-l’Etape, Ivry, Noisy-le-Sec, Chatellerault and Orleans as a defender.
