Celtic and Rangers face nightmare Super League 2.0 lockout amid fears 32 team revamp to be passed 'by the backdoor'

The latest European Super League proposals could deal a hammerblow to Rangers and Celtic - with the financial divide between the Scottish Premiership and superclubs widened under the new ruleset.

Celtic and Rangers have long been on red alert for some time over the possible game-changing alteration of football in Europe, with reports previously suggesting the Glasgow giants had been invited to take place in the new set-up having both reached the Champions League group stage this term. However, The Telegraph now report a 32-team format could see a number of smaller divisions and clubs who don't regularly reach Europe's elite competition frozen out.

The report states that Premier League clubs have raised concerns that the FIFA Club World Cup will become a “European Super League by the back door” when it expands to a 32-team tournament in 2025. FIFA revealed plans to have 12 UEFA qualification places in the competition - but details are sparse over who will get a chance at qualification.

The world football chiefs have stated that initially the four Champions League winners in the four years leading up to 2025 will gain entry while the top eight-ranked clubs excluding those already qualified will also gain a place. While it has been stated that there will only be two clubs allowed country, it is not clear how UEFA will rank the additional clubs.

During crunch talks, Premier League clubs reportedly raised concerns that the system will reward the big clubs who are already perennial Champions League participants - and will only deepen the divide between smaller sides and European heavyweights. There is also concerns that the rebranded set-up will eat away at the money on offer to domestic leagues.

It comes amid high hopes