How does Conference League work and how much could it be worth for Albion?

Brighton and Hove Albion FC Football Sport

Albion’s second European adventure is one for the fans rather than the boardroom.

That is the view of football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire.

The home-and-away Seagulls fan says he is giddy with excitement about Conference League football.

But it will not be adding big numbers to his famed spreadsheets.

Albion said their Europa League campaign in 2023-24 brought in £20 million although it was not clear whether that included expenses involved.

There was also the incalculable boost to the club’s European profile.

However there could also be the flipside of a lower finish in the Premier League, where each place is worth about £2.5 million.

Maguire said: “If we nett off the Conference League prize money from the potential drop in Premier League, then revenue might be up by about £10 million overall.”

He believes the Seagulls would be looking at gate income of about £600,000 per home game before deducting overheads.

But they will be subject to tighter spending controls than had they not qualified for Europe.

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Albion go into the play-off round, played on August 20 and 27 with the draw made on August 3 once the earlier qualifying rounds have been completed.

Atalanta, Freiburg, Monaco and Getafe are also involved in the play-off round.

The list of clubs entering the earlier rounds is building up fast and includes Oscar Garcia’s Ajax, who Albion beat home and away in the Europa League, as well as Braga, Panathinaikos and Austria Wien.

The league stage comprises six fixtures per club and is completed by Christmas.