Celtic’s reputation in Europe was restored last season when Brendan Rodgers took the Bhoys to within seconds of a famous win in Bayern Munich.
But a newly surfaced UEFA document has revealed the staggering financial ripple effect Celtic’s Champions League participation has on the rest of Scottish football.
Last season’s adventures in the Champions League meant that Celtic’s success has directly triggered a £10m windfall for their SPFL rivals.
How much money Celtic earned the SPFL from Champions League heroics.
Will Celtic get a thanks…?
As UEFA released the figures in a document this week, 67 Hail Hail asked our Head of Football and Governance, Adam Williams to break down the figures to share exactly how Celtic have benefited the rest of the SPFL financially.
UEFA’s ‘unusual formula’ explained as Celtic earn the SPFL Champions League millions
Celtic have regularly boasted strong financial figures over the last three years in part due to participation in UEFA’s elite competition.
But it’s not just the Parkhead boardroom who are laughing all the way to the bank.
Williams exclusively told 67 Hail Hail, “It’s an unusual formula and it takes some digging to get to the bottom of it because UEFA’s language is pretty opaque.
“There are some details that just aren’t disclosed whatsoever, such as the ‘fixed amount’ paid out in solidarity after a club is eliminated.
“We do know that about £150,000 is paid out per round to the clubs who started the European campaign in the play-offs in any of the three European competitions.
“As Celtic were the only team to qualify automatically for the league phase of the Champions League or indeed any of the European competitions, they were the only team who didn’t receive any solidarity from this mechanism.”
Celtic earn SPFL clubs £10m from the Champions League
So just how much money did Celtic’s participation in the Champions League earn the SPFL?
Williams continues, “Between them, Rangers, Hearts, Kilmarnock and St Mirren went through five qualifying rounds, which meant they shared just about £750,000 between them.
“On top of that, an undisclosed sum was paid when teams were knocked out before the play-off round. For the Europa and Conference League clubs, the eventual payments totalled about £2.3m.
“Only after that do you get to the solidarity payments to Scottish clubs who didn’t qualify for Europe at all. That money comes from the Champions League pot and totalled about £9.5m.
“Because UEFA don’t disclose how that money is distributed, we can only take an educated guess. But I am confident it somehow equates to the value of the TV deal.
“The fact that the ‘Big Five’ leagues’ solidarity earnings were capped at exactly £8.7m, depending on the conversion rate, suggests that there is mechanism which limits how much those member nations can earn.
“So you look at the nations who earned the most – Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ukraine, Austria, Scotland and so on – and you see a correlation with the value of their European TV deals and the solidarity they earn.
“The money comes from a central pot, so Celtic aren’t forfeiting anything per se. The amount has increased pretty significantly in recent years, however.
“In theory, the money is ringfenced for infrastructure and sustainability developments and so on. That money is distributed by the Scottish FA. It’s a delicate ecosystem involving clubs, leagues, FAs and UEFA, but these provisions are necessary.”
While Celtic are not in UEFA’s elite competition this season, qualification for the play-off phase of the Europa League can still prove lucrative.
If Martin O’Neill can negotiate Stuttgart, a place in the last 16 of the competition could still throw up a glamour tie that could net Celtic millions.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
