Exactly how much Rangers and Celtic could lose as cost of European failure is laid bare
Celtic and Rangers’ terrible form in Europe has come back to haunt them as the Scottish Premiership is set to lose a Champions League place next season.
Both the Gers and the Hoops oversaw dreadful Europa League campaigns, with the former being grouped and Martin O’Neill’s side all but out of the competition after their 4-1 first leg defeat to Stuttgart in the knockout playoffs.
As a result, Scotland’s place in the UEFA coefficient rankings is set to take a major hit, seeing them dip from 14th to 18th at present, which will see second place awarded with a Europa Conference League spot instead of the Champions League.
Now, whoever finishes the runner-up is set to bring in only 11 per cent of what they could make in the Champions League, as Kieran Maguire explains how much the Scottish clubs could lose.
Scottish Premiership set to only have one Champions League spot next season
According to BBC Sport on 20 February, the Scottish Premiership’s poor coefficient ranking is set to have a massive impact.
Not only will they lose a Champions League spot, but also a European one, with only the top three places guaranteed European qualification.
Much of this is due to the Scottish clubs’ poor form in Europe in recent seasons, with the UEFA coefficient ranking the average performance of each country’s clubs over a rolling five-year period.
Full-time.#CelticVfBStuttgart | #UEL | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/rr5nOGRAxC
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) February 19, 2026
As a result, unless Rangers and Celtic win either the Scottish Premiership or the Scottish Cup next season, the sides will be thrown into the Europa Conference League for the 2027-28 campaign.
This could have a devastating effect on their finances, with Maguire explaining that the competition only brings in 11 per cent of what a club could receive in the Champions League.
| Position | 2025-26 season | 2026-27 season |
| 1st | Champions League playoffs | Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2nd | Champions League second qualifying round | Europa Conference League second qualifying round |
| Scottish Cup winners | Europa League third qualifying round | Europa League first qualifying round |
| 3rd | Europa Conference League second qualifying round | Europa Conference League second qualifying round |
| 4th | Europa Conference League second qualifying round | DNQ |
“Celtic made more than £40m from the Champions League in 2024-25,” said Maguire. “And that’s before you take into account some of the ancillary benefits from matchday revenues, sold-out stadiums and sponsor bonuses.
“For every one pound you earn in the Champions League, you get approximately 22p in the Europa League and 11p in the Conference League.
“It is a sizeable difference, and that would be a restriction for whoever finishes second.”
Can Scotland reclaim its second Champions League spot?
If the Scottish clubs perform well in Europe next season, there is every chance they can reclaim their second Champions League spot.
The top 15 performing countries in Europe are awarded with this, with Scotland currently 3.793 points behind Cyprus in this position.
However, it could be a challenge to do this in the near future, with Scotland set to lose 7.900 points, one of their highest in past five years, next season.
Instead, the nation’s chance might come in the 2027-28 campaign, when their terrible 3.500 points will be wiped, which occurred in the 2022-23 season.