Champions League or Europa League?

Champions League or Europa League? What It Means for Rangers in 2025

Rangers’ European journey in 2025 has already been varied, dramatic — and is now, delicately poised. After impressive wins over Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen – if questionable performances in away legs – the club finds itself on the brink of a return to the Europa League, following a bruising 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge at Ibrox last Tuesday evening.

With the second leg looming in Belgium on Wednesday, the consequences of qualification — or failure — are, as always, stark.

Financial Stakes: Millions on the Line

Champions League group stage qualification gave Celtic around £38 million in 24/25, compared to the £8.6 million guaranteed for Rangers in last season’s Europa League. That difference affects:

- Transfer budgets

- ⁠Squad depth

- ⁠Youth development

- ⁠Commercial growth

In 2022, Rangers earned over £18.5 million from the old Champions League format despite finishing bottom of the group. Our 2022 Europa League final run brought in similar revenue — but only after a deep progression.

Sporting Reality: Prestige vs Performance

The Champions League offers prestige, but Rangers have struggled at that level. Our 2022–23 campaign ended with zero points. In contrast, the Europa League has seen us thrive — reaching the final in 2022 and consistently progressing.

The Europa League may offer a more realistic path to success, but whilst the Champions League remains the ultimate goal for brand growth and attracting top-tier talent, our early season form suggests it’s highly unlikely we would be able to compete at this level with this current squad and manager.

Fixture Congestion: The Thursday–Sunday Grind

Europa League matches are played on Thursdays, often followed by domestic fixtures on Sundays. This Thursday–Sunday cycle has historically impacted Rangers’ league form, with fatigue and limited recovery time affecting performance.

Champions League matches, played on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, offer a more balanced schedule, allowing better preparation for weekend games.

The Road So Far: Progress and Pain

Rangers have already overcome:

Panathinaikos (3–1 on aggregate)

Viktoria Plzen (4–2 on aggregate)

But our first-leg defeat to Club Brugge has left us with a mountain to climb. Defensive errors saw us 3–0 down within 20 minutes. Danilo pulled one back, and Djeidi Gassama had a goal controversially disallowed late on. The second leg in Belgium will require a two-goal win just to force extra time. Anything less, and Rangers drop into the Europa League.

Recent European History

2021–22: Lost to Malmo in CL qualifiers, reached Europa League final.

2022–23: Qualified for CL group stage, finished with 0 points.

2023–24: Lost to Dynamo Kyiv, reached Europa League quarter-finals.

2025–26: Wins over Panathinaikos and Plzen, but now trail Brugge 3–1.

Conclusion: A Defining Week Ahead

For Rangers, the difference between Champions League and Europa League qualification is more than financial — it’s foundational. It shapes our recruitment, fan morale, fixture planning, and long-term strategy, but whilst a comeback on Wednesday evening would be historic and a defeat deflating, it wouldn’t be completely disastrous, with Europa League football still guaranteed.

However, it would be remiss of us not to suggest that the biggest fixture for Rangers this week is arguably on Sunday when Celtic visit Ibrox. Lose that one, Russell, and it could very well be curtains, in more ways than one…