European earnings and coefficient gains December 2025

 The first stage of the UEFA European Conference League has ended, and with it Scotland lose Aberdeen from European competition while the League of Ireland has lost both of its sides. Crystal Palace have qualified for the play off stage.

 

There are still two rounds to play in both the Champions League and Europa League, as it stands England should still have all of its teams in the competitions while Scotland may lose both Rangers (already cannot advance) and Celtic who are currently in 24th, the final play off position.

 

The Premier League is the first league to ever have 6 sides play in the Champions League thanks to having the highest overall coefficient last season and having Spurs win the Europa League. So far, Manchester City are England’s top earners with an estimated €73.16 million. England’s lowest earners are Crystal Palace on just €8.53 million so far.

Due to high coefficients England’s earnings far outstrip those of the other sides in the UK and Ireland. However, despite both teams having a poor season, Rangers have earned more than both English teams in the Europa League while Celtic, though behind Aston Villa, have earned more than Nottingham Forest so far. The reason for this is that both Scottish teams reached the Champions League play off round and both have high coefficients.

In the Conference League Aberdeen finished second bottom on only 2 points. My estimate is that will have earned €4.468 million which is a handy amount, but the League of Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers have earned around €5.13 million. The League of Ireland has been strengthening for some years now and European prize money will only help that. The Scottish Premiership risks following the opposite trajectory.

You can see the full estimate of earnings for British and Irish teams competing in the league stages in the table below.



Shamrock Rovers have earned more money that Aberdeen for two main reasons; they have had slightly better results (one win and one draw) and have a higher individual coefficient than Aberdeen. Shamrock Rovers finished 10th in the league phase of the Conference League last season, for context, Crystal Palace finished 10th this season!

 

The coefficient is important. For the league it determines how many teams can enter each competition and Scotland is on course to lose its fifth spot. It also plays an important role in distributing prize money.

 

Each team earns coefficient points for their performances, in the league phase a win is worth 2 points and draw is worth 1. Points are distributed for various other achievements, such as  final league position and advancing through knockout rounds. Entering the Champions League is worth 6 points automatically, so the equivalent of three league phase wins. Each team has its own coefficient which helps determine their prize money in the value pillar sections but also determines whether or not a side is seeded in qualifying rounds. Each league also has a coefficient score, this is worked out by adding every coefficient point a team in that league and dividing the total by the number of teams entered by that league, this includes those who may have been eliminated in the qualifying stages, so every point won by a Scottish team for example is divided by 5.

 

As of December, the League of Ireland has earned more coefficient points that the Scottish Premiership! In order to equal the League of Ireland total, Scotland needs at least one win and one draw from Celtic and Rangers in the remaining two rounds of the league phase.

 

It is true that if Scotland only enters 4 teams in the future then it will be easier to accrue coefficient points, but consider the financial implications for the league. Despite not qualifying; Hibs and Dundee United each added around €900K. Aberdeen have won over €4 million with Hearts winning a similar amount the previous season. To put this into context, Aberdeen’s prize money is worth around €80,000 per week for a year. Even the prize money won by Hibs and Dundee United is worth an extra €17K per week. What could your club achieve with so much extra money available for wages?

 

With 9 teams playing in Europe, more money than ever will make its way to the Premier League, and all 9 teams are performing well, (Arsenal have won every game so far). Scotland is having a dreadful season in Europe compared to what has happened in previous years. Rangers will be eliminated after the league phase and Celtic may join them out of Europe as well, both teams will earn significantly less than last season. Aberdeen finished second bottom (though according to OPTA they has they toughest possible draw of any team in the 3 European competitions). The Republic of Ireland has continued to advance. Despite Shamrock Rovers failing to get close to their level from last season, the league had 2 sides in the league phase this season with champions Shelbourne joining them.

 

Prize money and coefficient points go hand in hand. England is winning more money and points than any other league, fuelling a further strengthening of the league. Scotland is falling behind, the league can no longer rely on the Old Firm sides to drive the coefficient and ensure European prize money trickles down the league. If Scottish football is to improve in quality, they simply need to have at least 4 sides playing in the league phase, because the leagues they previously would have been clear of in rankings are getting sides into the league phase regularly, check out Poland, Czechia, Norway for example. More money flows into the League of Ireland, driven by having a very strong team qualify for some years now, Shelbourne have benefitted from Shamrock Rovers’ success by availing of an easier draw due to the league’s coefficient improvement.

 

You can see the coefficient points earned in the league phase in the table below.




 

 

 


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