Celtic captain Scott Brown (right) tackles PSG's Edinson Cavani
Celtic will play in the Champions League group stage next season for the first time since 2017

It will be the first time in seven years that the anthem will be heard at Celtic Park and Ibrox.

With Celtic and Rangers back at the top of European football, there is money, prestige and the chance to compete against the best in the world.

With the Glasgow giants operating on a different financial planet to the other clubs in the country, there are challenges for the competitive balance of domestic competition.

The Scottish game may benefit from having two clubs in the group stage.

A widening gulf

It's obvious that the Old Firm has a bigger income than the rest. In the last full year of results available, Celtic and Rangers both spent over 50 million dollars on wages.

The third biggest wage bill in the country last year was Aberdeen's, which is more than double that of Livingston or Ross County.

The Old Firm's income will be enhanced by the revenue from the European soccer league.

"You're not far short of a quarter of a billion dollars before a ball is kicked," says a football finance expert It is very lucrative because it ignores the impact on gate receipts, sponsors, and bonuses.

Celtic's revenue was over 100 million dollars for the first time in their history when they were in the European competition. They had a noticeable impact on their finances when they weren't in.

When Celtic returned to the top flight after a three-year absence, it gave them a chance to win four domestic trebles in a row.

Through director loans, Rangers have been able to close the revenue and wage gap, which helped them win the 2020-21 league title.

It shows how the money from the league can affect the competition between the Glasgow rivals.

Not all bad for the rest

It's not bad news for the chasing pack that Celtic and Rangers are going to the European competition.

The more spots available for other teams to play in European competition, the less likely they are to have to go through multiple qualification rounds.

Heart of Midlothian only entered theEuropa League at the play-off round due to Scotland's rising score and are guaranteed at least group stage football.

"Last time we were in Europe, we had to win four ties back-to-back in order to get into theEuropa League," said Hearts head coachRobbie Neilson.

European football brings up the stock of Scottish football as well. All the other teams will get a payment if the coefficients of Rangers continue.

The bonuses are given to the sides that don't make Europe. The other top-flight clubs will get about 15 million dollars over four years.

It's welcome cash, but it wouldn't make a difference to the amount of money Celtic and Rangers make from the league.

In terms of solidarity payments, we're talking hundreds of thousands or perhaps a million or two million. The minimum amount of money Celtic and Rangers could get from participating in the European club competition is $30 million.

The clubs have an advantage over the rest of the league. There are significant financial gaps that will be amplified through participation in the league.

So will it benefit Scottish football?

Depending on what you want from the game. If the essence of Scottish football is to have a competitive domestic league, which can be won by more than two teams, then either of the big Glasgow sides in the European competition is bad news.

If you accept the reality of modern football and the financial disparity that exist, but still want a title race, then it's better for both Celtic and Rangers to get in.

There are other benefits. If young Scottish players get a chance, they will play at the highest level and help the national side grow.

With more European places, fans of other clubs can enjoy more continental football and possibly attract better players and receive more cash for their talent.

The benefits are significant and could make a difference to the quality of the league.

St Johnstone's double cup win of two seasons ago will be less likely due to the fact that Celtic and Rangers have qualified for the playoffs in the past. The gap is as large as it has been.

Since 1899, when a season was only 18 games, both Old Firm sides have finished in the top half of the table.

It's 36 games since Celtic lost in the league and only two other teams have beaten Rangers in the same season.

It doesn't make a difference if two ships are miles ahead of the others.