Leicester: Equating the finances between UCL vs. UEL qualifications

Leicester City is currently dangling in between either of the European competitions. So before we find out where we are heading, let us compare them both.

Despite a financial hit in the footballing world, the UEFA competitions are refraining from truncating the prize money from the European competitions this season. For many clubs, the financial rewards are lucrative. Rather than winning the whole competition, many clubs fancy their chances to exist in the competition long enough to emerge from one level to another by securing the allotted prize sum along their journey.

Now, UEFA is forced to maintain in complying with the same financial structure with no diminishment due to the intense pressure and scrutiny it endured during the whole Super League fiasco. As it remains, the revenue earned in UEL is significantly less than in UEFA’s top competition, UCL.

Leicester City’s perspective on the competitions

Qualifying for the UCL guarantees the club around £14m. Even if a club manages to enroll itself in the group stages; and say they don’t win any of their six matches in that stage, still the disastrous campaign would earn them estimated splits of the coefficient and TV market payments to around £25m.

Compared to the UEL, the same scenario would bag them around only £7.5m. Success in the competitions is also rewarded differently. Winning six games in the UEL group stages would earn just over £3m. That figure will be engulfed by just one win and one draw in the UCL.

Another significant jeopardy is knowing the fate of the club’s growth if they fail to secure the UCL spots in consecutive seasons. It could impact Leicester City’s transfer aspirations this season as many good players are generally Champions League-bound.

UEFA Europa League’s position against prize money (2020-21)

1. Winners-    €8,500,000
2. Runners-up-    €4,500,000
3. Semi-finalists-    €2,400,000
4. Quarter-finalists-    €1,500,000
5. Round of 16-    €1,100,000
6. Round of 32-    €500,000
7. Group winners-    €1,000,000
8. Group runners-up-    €500,000
9. Group match draw-    €190,000
10. Group match victory-    €570,000
11. Source- Sillyseason

UEFA Champions League’s position against prize money (2020-21)

1. Winner-    €19 million
2. Runner-up-    €15 million
3. Semi-finalist-    €12 million
4. Quarter-finalist-    €10.5 million
5. Last 16-    €9.5 million
6. Group-stage win-    €2.7 million
7. Group-stage draw-    €900,000
8. Qualifying for group stage-    €15.25 million

Source- Goal.com

As the Premier League points table stands, the Foxes have secured the Europa League, but the aspirations point towards the Champions League. Two nights earlier, Brendan Rodger’s side was victorious in their historical quest of winning their first-ever FA Cup against a strong Chelsea side in the Finals.

The cherry on top is the earned eligibility which makes the King Power club play the FA Community Shield against Premier League Champions Manchester City. But first, let’s hope for the best in the two remaining matches this season which can make or break us.