Hearts and Celtic secure Champions League qualifying spots for 2026

Hearts and Celtic will both play in the 2026 Champions League qualifiers after finishing top two in the Scottish Premiership.

Historic qualification for Hearts Hearts secured a Champions League qualifier spot for the first time in two decades after Celtic’s victory over Rangers on Sunday locked both Glasgow sides into the Premiership’s top two. Derek McInnes’ team had hoped for a Celtic slip-up in the Old Firm clash to boost their title hopes, but Martin O’Neill’s side claimed all three points, leaving Rangers mathematically out of the title race in third place. This marks the first time since McInnes’ Aberdeen side in 2016-17 and 2017-18 that the Glasgow clubs have finished above each other in consecutive seasons. ## European paths for Premiership sides The Scottish Premiership runners-up will enter the Champions League’s second qualifying round, facing three knockout ties before reaching the league phase. Meanwhile, the Premiership champions will start in the play-off round, the stage Celtic were eliminated from at the season’s outset by Kazakh side Kairat Almaty. Hearts aim to be the team entering at that stage, as it would mean clinching their first league title since 1960. ## Hearts’ route to the title Hearts can secure the Premiership crown by beating Falkirk at home on Wednesday and avoiding defeat at Celtic Park next Saturday. If they win in Glasgow, their result against Falkirk becomes irrelevant regardless of Celtic’s outcome in their midweek visit to Motherwell. Their last Champions League qualifier appearance came after the 2005-06 season when they finished runners-up to Celtic, beating Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Siroki Brijeg in the second round before losing to AEK Athens in the next stage. ## Rangers’ European scenario Rangers will enter the Conference League qualifiers unless Celtic triumph in the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline Athletic. In that scenario, Danny Rohl’s side would progress to the Europa League preliminary rounds instead. The Old Firm derby result on Sunday ensured Rangers could no longer overtake Celtic or Hearts in the Premiership standings.