Scotland’s title winners were handed a new incentive to reach the Promised Land of the Champions League after UEFA confirmed large increases in the cash sums on offer. Champions for the last three season, Celtic earned £12.6million for reaching the group stage and winning one of their six matches in 2013/14. The same performance next season would bring in at least £16m under the new figures announced by Europe’s governing body — and that does not include ticket sales. Confirming the cash ‘cycle’ for the next three years, UEFA will also seek to narrow the gap between the cash available to Champions League and Europa League clubs. A Scottish club participating in the group stage of the junior competition now stands to make in excess of £4m. Significantly, however, the three Scottish clubs that enter the Europa League qualifiers will now cover their costs via a solidarity payment of £150,000 – even if they crash out at the first hurdle. Celtic failed to make the Champions League this season, crashing out to Maribor in the qualifiers . Craig Gordon saves against Inter Milan in the last 32 Europa League clash at the San Siro . Celtic line up against Inter  but the Parkhead club will be greedy for the Champions League rewards . Yet, the Europa League remains very much the lesser of UEFA’s tournaments and Ronny Deila, who failed to navigate Celtic to the Champions League this season, will now come under increasing pressure to deliver qualification – and bigger rewards - this summer. Currently top of the league table and chasing four-in-a-row, the Parkhead side can expect to make over £10m if they retain their title and reach next season’s group stage – even if they fail to win a point - an increase from £6.4m. Broadcasting pool revenues will also rise while the prize for a win will increasing to £1.1m and a draw will bring in £362,000. The rewards for reaching the last 16 – as Celtic did most recently in 2012 – will now leap by a whopping £4m. The biggest winners – as always – will be the English Premier League clubs with their huge broadcasting pool. If an English side were to win next season’s Champions League, they would earn around £74m from central UEFA funds alone. Yet what is good for the elite — and what is good for Celtic — is not necessarily good for Scottish football. Most – outwith Aberdeen - assume the Parkhead side will retain their title at the end of this campaign and will have another crack at the Euro elite. Becoming champions of Scotland is no guarantee of Champions League participation, of course, yet the prospect of a £16m-£20m windfall is a strong incentive to get it right this time. For Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, it’s an imperative. The fear is that more UEFA cash only widens the gap between the aristos and the proletariat. Not only in Europe, but in countries like Scotland where more European money allows Celtic to lord it while the others eat cake. Giorgios Samaras scores in the Nou Camp for Celtic in their 6-1 loss in the 2013 group stages . Celtic enjoyed a glamour tie against AC Milan in the group stages of the 2013 Champions League instalment . UEFA said the changes are a bid to address this, to narrow the gap between the elite competition and the Europa League — the level SPFL clubs realistically aspire to — with general secretary Gianni Infantino insisting: ‘UEFA is really pleased that the new distribution system not only provides for a substantial rise in monies received by clubs participating in the Champions League and Europa League but also strengthens UEFA’s solidarity principle, namely ensuring an even more substantial increase in solidarity payments to clubs. ‘In this way, the new system provides a better deal for everyone, especially those clubs which did not qualify to the group stage of either of the two UEFA club competitions. This is a perfect example of the proper implementation of the solidarity principle which forms an essential part of UEFA’s key values.’ For every pound UEFA give to clubs in the Europa League currently Champions League clubs receive £4.30. From next season that ratio will narrow. Crucially, where clubs like Aberdeen, Inverness, St Johnstone or Dundee United are concerned, there will also be the new solidarity payments for those who crash out of the Europa League at the qualifying stage. This has long been the norm for Scottish clubs, their pain heightened by the cost of flying to far-flung remote outposts in Russia, Belarus or Moldova. Potentially very good for Celtic, then, UEFA's announcement should also make European football more appealing and rewarding to those further down the food chain. Charles Barnett, partner of the Sports Group of BDO, told Sportsmail: ‘What UEFA are saying is that from next season the revenues from the two competitions will be put into one pot and distributed to all the clubs participating. ‘So there is more money going to the Europa League and, let’s be honest, when you are thinking about Scottish clubs now that’s what you are really talking about. ‘There is more money now coming into the Europa League and more potentially available to Scotland’s participants via solidarity payments if they don’t make it to the group stage. ‘In the Champions League, which might affect Celtic, they are going up 60 per cent. ‘But more pertinent to Scotland is the fact that solidarity payments for failing to reach the Europa League will be higher. ‘What that should ensure is an end to the scenario where Scottish teams knocked out in the early qualifying rounds of the Europa League lose money when they are sent to the furthest corner of Eastern Europe. ‘Some Scottish clubs like Motherwell have lost money spending fortunes chartering planes. ‘To make £150,000 just for getting knocked out in the first qualifier plus revenue from the home tie should cover the costs of the away leg.’ That covering the costs of defeat has become a Scots priority is mildly depressing. Yet Celtic used the Europa League group stage as a parachute after Champions League failure last season. And, as Barnett explained: ‘The group stage of the Europa League will also offer a substantial increase of 65 per cent. Participation could see clubs make £4m now.’ For Rangers, much of this will be a source of anguish. With a stated goal of competing with Celtic as soon as possible, the gap becomes more and more difficult to bridge every year their rivals win the Scottish title and have another crack at the Champions League. On a day they announced more financial losses, the Ibrox board – and others around the country - can see just how difficult it will be to challenge the Parkhead side as the country’s dominant force. Barnett argues differently, however, and added: ‘Celtic could make £3m to £4m for reaching the group stage and for a club like Celtic, playing in Scotland, that is big money. ‘But that barely pays for another striker, never mind his wages. It could affect competition if they were winning the league and qualifying season after season after season, but will that really destroy competition? I’m not sure. ‘It’s good to see, but I’m not sure it will widen the gulf in Scottish football. ‘If anything, we will see other Scottish clubs earn more cash via the Europa League and, therefore, the teams finishing second, third and fourth in the SPFL Premiership have more opportunity to earn more money. ‘We are talking about more money being made available to clubs that don’t make it into any competition.’
Celtic earned £12.6million for reaching the group stage and winning one of their six matches in 2013/14 . The same performance next season would bring in at least £16m . UEFA will also seek to narrow the gap between the cash available to Champions League and Europa League clubs . A Scottish club participating in the group stage of the junior competition now stands to make in excess of £4m .