The winners of the Champions League third round tie between Celtic are Cluj are assured of at least €5m from UEFA.
Around £30m can be expected from reaching the group stage but just reaching the Play Off round of the Champions League pays out significantly more than winning the SPFL Premiership. Celtic picked up £3,350,000 from the SPFL for winning last season’s title. Defeat in the Play Off round would see Celtic drop into the Europa League group phase and a pay-out of around £6m.
Last month UEFA detailed their increased payments for this years competition and while a lot is dependent on market share and results it is clear cut what is available from the Play Off stage onwards:
A total of €30m will be paid out to clubs involved in the UEFA Champions League play-offs: clubs that are eliminated will each receive a fixed payment of €5m. The winners of the play-offs will not receive any specific payment for this round, but will get payments for participating in the UEFA Champions League group stage.
With a 1-1 draw from the first leg Celtic are favourites to go through tonight but Cluj are a vast uplift on FK Sarajevo and Nomme Kalju.
The Romanian side have their own ambitions to play in the Champions League group phase after disposing of Astana and Macabbi Tel Aviv to reach the third round.
Predicting the pay-outs from the group phase is difficult on a number of levels but ticket sales and hospitality are likely to clear £2m per match.
With payments from UEFA made in euros Celtic and other British clubs are actually better off by the falling value of the pound.