It's been known for a long time that going to Europe, apart from the competitive aspect, also brings with it a financial one, which football has been giving out for years compared to all other sports.
And while the biggest money turns around when the main stages of UEFA competitions start, the amounts obtained in the qualifications for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League are not negligible either - in particular, it will be a significant "injection" for clubs coming from countries like ours.
Before the start of this season, the European Football Union decided to further increase the prize fund for all its competitions, because the costs of transportation and accommodation for the clubs have also increased, so the Montenegrin champion Dečić AdmiralBet would have received almost a million euros even if it had not jumped any obstacles in Europe. ..
Instead of the previous 810, UEFA provided a guaranteed 960 euros for the champion of each country and participants in the first round of qualification... 175.000 each for participation in the 1st round of qualification for the Champions League and in the 2nd round of qualification for the Conference League, then 350 for the teams who are eliminated in the second round, as well as 260.000 euros going to the champions who do not reach the group stage.
As Dečić has already jumped over one obstacle in Europe, it is also clear that when he finishes his European trip, he will earn more than the mentioned 960.
If the team Milorad Peković if Helsinki does not pass, it will earn one million and 335 thousand euros from UEFA - 175 thousand for each round in which it participated, then 550 thousand which are received by the clubs that finished the competition in the 3rd round of qualifications, plus the aforementioned 260.000.
For the playoffs even more, wealth for the group stage
For a historic performance in the Conference League, Mornar will also do well... Dečić could have reached almost one million euros without a win, but the club from Bar earned and exceeded that figure on the field.
Thus, if the UEFA competition ends in the 3rd round of qualifications, Mornar will earn one million and 75 thousand euros - as well as Dečić, 175 thousand for participating in each round and 550 thousand as a team that was eliminated in the third round of qualifications.
The mentioned tandem will soon face new European challenges against the Paks and Helsinki teams, and if they perform another miracle and make it to the Conference League playoffs, and then finish their performances on the European stage, another 375 euros would be paid to their account.
It is difficult to expect that one of our clubs will reach the group stage, but it is interesting to point out that those who succeed receive from UEFA 175 for participation in each round of qualifications and a guaranteed 3,17 million euros.
700.000 for the future
The European hat-trick in the 2nd round of qualification for the Conference League could not be completed by Budućnost, whose dreams were crushed by CSKA 1948 in extra time.
If the "blue-whites" had been a little more lucky, they would have already received a certain amount from Uefa, which Mornar has managed to secure so far.
All this means that the club from Podgorica earned 700 thousand euros from this year's adventures in Europe - 175 thousand for participation in two rounds of qualifications and 350 thousand won by the teams eliminated in the 2nd round of qualifications.
After gloomy European years for Montenegrin football, this summer once again confirmed in the best way which sport is the most profitable and where everything invested is returned many times over.
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