UEFA set to give Celtic more cash than Hearts even if both qualify for Champions League

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Celtic’s league title win means more than keeping their status as Scotland’s biggest club intact, it has had a big hand in their European exploits too.

The Hoops will enter the Champions League at the play-off stage after being crowned champions whereas Hearts will have to start in the second qualifying round.

That small difference is worth millions and finance expert Adam Williams has explained how Celtic will pocket more than the Jambos, regardless of if both make it to the main league phase.

• READ MORE: 67 Hail Hail sends clear message to Celtic board after iconic title win on BBC Sportsound

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The amount Celtic will earn ahead of Hearts in the Champions League

Both teams qualifying for the main phase of the tournament would be a huge boost to Scottish football, both financially and in terms of the UEFA coefficient.

Hearts would have to play more games, but Celtic will still earn more than them before kicking a ball, albeit only slightly more.

Williams told 67 Hail Hail: “If you’re comparing how much Celtic might or might not make after the play-off round versus Hearts entering the Champions League at the second qualifying round, there are a tonne of variables at play.

“If you make it to the league phase, you get about £16.5m straight away – that’s the flat fee which everyone gets. On top of that, there’s prize money for wins, draws and incremental bonuses depending on where you finish in the table. And the third component of the Champions League central pot is the so-called ‘value pillar’, which takes into account the value of your country’s UEFA TV deal and your five and 10-year coefficients as a club.

“Celtic, as European regulars, have a much stronger coefficient. Hearts are 154th on the five-year basis and 244th on a 10-year basis; Celtic are 58th and 51st across the same two categories.

“So you could have a situation where both qualify for the league phase, but Celtic will earn more before a ball is even kicked.

“The difference might only be a million euros or so, so it’s not going to move mountains, but it does say something interesting about what UEFA favours when it dishes out its money.”