Exclusive: Celtic land £30m+ windfall – official documents reveal
Celtic have already earned more than £31million in prize money from the Champions League this season, sources have told Football Insider.
The Glasgow giants booked their place in European football’s premier club competition after beating Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title last season.
The Times reported on 27 August top Champions League clubs could be in line to make an extra £23million from the competition following Uefa’s format change this season.
The number of clubs taking part has risen from 32 to 36, with the teams all competing in one single league competition and each side playing eight different opponents – four at home and four away.
Celtic have had a strong start to their European campaign after picking up two wins and a draw from their opening four games, earning them three more points than last season’s tally.
Brendan Rodgers’s side beat Slovan Bratislava and RB Leipzig at home, while they drew with Atalanta and lost to Borussia Dortmund on the road.
They have two home games left to play against Club Brugge and Young Boys, with trips to Dinamo Zagreb and Aston Villa also still to come in their pursuit of a knockout place.
Celtic to land significant windfall with league-phase qualification
As per official Uefa documents released in March, each team will earn a guaranteed £16million for playing in the Champions League this season.
They are also in line for extra cash payments under the governing body’s new value pillar system, which is split into European and non-European segments based on their coefficient ranking and the market pool.
Clubs are awarded £1.8million for each win and £583,000 for a draw in the league phase, meaning Celtic have banked just short of £4.2million from their fixtures.
Sources have told Football Insider that takes the Scottish champions’ total prize money so far to around £31.5million, including the payments from the value pillar system.
Celtic could receive £9.2million for qualifying for the last 16, while the clubs who finish between ninth and 24th will earn £830,000 for featuring in the knockout round play-offs.
In a further incentive to finish as high up the table as possible, each team will also be paid an amount based on their individual ranking after the eight group stage games.
The bottom side will earn £229,000, while Celtic’s current position of 13th would be worth £5.5million.
Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider Rodgers’s side could generate close to £100million if they can win all four of their home games and make it through to the Champions League knockout rounds this season.
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