Celtic have reportedly earned more money from European football this season than Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur.
The Hoops are said to have earned around €46.2 million (£39.5m) in UEFA prize money from their run in the Champions League. That total is higher than the €45.4 million (£38.9m) picked up by Spurs, even though they won a European trophy.
Celtic finished 21st out of 36 in the new Champions League league phase and lost to Bayern Munich in the knockout playoff round. But their early exit still brought in big money. The prize pot included a €15.64 million fee just for taking part, bonus payments for results in the group stage, €10.23 million based on their club ranking, and around €7 million from the TV market pool.
Tottenham, on the other hand, went all the way in the Europa League, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final in Bilbao. But even that success wasn’t enough to match Celtic’s earnings. Despite lifting the trophy, Spurs earned less overall from UEFA’s distribution.
This puts Celtic 25th in the list of top earners from European football this season, just ahead of Tottenham in 26th. It shows how valuable the Champions League is financially, even if a team doesn’t get far in the competition. Just getting into the group stage is worth millions to the club.
Looking ahead, next season brings a big challenge for Brendan Rodgers’ team. Even though they reached the knockout playoffs this year, they are not guaranteed a Champions League place next time.
They’ll have to get through a two-legged qualifying tie in late August. If they don’t, they could end up in the Europa League—or out of Europe altogether.
That would mean missing out on a huge payday, with over €40 million on the line. Winning that qualifier could be one of the most important matches of their season.