Hearts get potential €139.5m Euro financial share boost after Rangers Champions League success

Hearts can benefit financially from Rangers’ progression to the Champions League group stage if they can get past FC Zurich in the Europa League play-off.

Robbie Neilson’s men host the Swiss champions at Tynecastle Park on Thursday evening, trailing 2-1 from the first-leg.

Hearts are in line for a significant European payday with group stage football assured whether they win or lose.

The club are aiming to get into the Europa League but if they were to fail to overcome the first-leg deficit they would drop into the Conference League.

Yet, with Rangers defeating PSV Eindhoven to join Celtic in the Champions League group stage there is the opportunity for Hearts to earn more money by overcoming Zurich.

Going by the figures supplied to clubs for the 2021/22 season of European football, Europa League group stage football would earn Hearts €3.63million for qualification alone. On top of that there is €630,000 for a win and €210,000 for a draw in the group. Winning the group would bring an additional €1.1million or €550,000 for finishing second.

Hearts would also receive a coefficient share which is based on the ten-year ranking. Each share is worth €132,000, rising to €4.2m for the team with the best coefficient. Due to the Gorgie side's poor performance, or lack of, in Europe across the past ten years, it will likely be a low six-figure fee.

However, it is the market pool where Hearts will benefit from Rangers' progression to the Champions League.

Hearts could benefit from Rangers' qualification to the Champions League. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

As per UEFA: “The estimated available amount of €139.5m will be distributed according to the proportional value of each TV market represented by the clubs taking part in the UEL (group stage onwards). The different market shares will be split among the clubs participating from a given association.

"Half of the global market pool (€69.75m) will be split into as many shares as there are national associations represented by at least one club in the group stage.”

Hearts could be in line for a significant payday, even more so if both Celtic and Rangers either reach the knockout stages of the Champions League or finish fourth in their respective groups.