UCFB lecturer offers financial insight on BBC Football News Show

UCFB lecturer and football finance expert Professor Rob Wilson recently appeared on BBC’s The Football News Show, discussing the financial side of European football.

Rob, UCFB’s head of recruitment and programmes with our executive education courses, was brought into the show to offer insight into English clubs’ financial possibilities when qualifying for European competitions.

“(European football) is incredibly important,” Rob said, “and incredibly important to those clubs who are historically able to participate in either the Europa League or the Champions League.

“It can make up 20 per cent, if not 30 per cent, of a revenue budget over the course of a season, and that of course means a huge impact in things like player wages and transfer, both in and out of a football club as well.”

He then went on to discuss the gulf between some of the major European club competitions.

“The difference between winning the Europa League and winning the Champions League is around €50-60 million.”

Rob’s insight then went into the specific repercussions if clubs such as Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur fail to qualify for European football in the 2025-26 season.

“If Manchester United fail to qualify for any European competition, the loss of revenue will be somewhere in the region of €100 million.”

View the full episode and listen to Rob’s insight on The Football News Show.

Find out more about UCFB’s executive education courses, including CEO of a Sports Organisation and MSc Sports Directorship.