Hearts, Hibs and Motherwell face European draw outcomes in 2026

Three Scottish clubs learn potential European opponents in Champions League and Conference League draws.

Clubs preparing for European draws With the World Cup just beginning, three of Scotland’s five continental representatives are already focused on next season’s early European qualifiers. Hearts, Hibernian, and Motherwell will learn their potential opponents in Wednesday’s draws for the Champions League and Conference League. Rangers will join the competition later in the Europa League third qualifying round but will monitor possible matchups as well. ## Hearts to face seeded opponent in Champions League Hearts enter the Champions League qualifiers for the first time in two decades after finishing as Scottish Premiership runners-up. They will face either Turkey’s Fenerbahce or Austria’s Sturm Graz in the League Path of the draw for domestic runners-up. The first leg of these ties is scheduled for 21 or 22 July, with the return matches following the next midweek. By then, Hearts may have a new head coach, as Derek McInnes appears set to leave for Rangers. ## Potential pathways for Hearts after first round If Hearts defeat Fenerbahce, they will earn seeding for the next round and could face Czech side Sparta Prague, the Netherlands’ NEC Nijmegen, the winner between Austria’s Sturm Graz and Poland’s Gornik Zabrze, or Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise. Notably, Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom has investments in Hearts and Union Saint-Gilloise, but his stake in both remains under 30% to meet UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules. If Hearts beat Sturm Graz instead, they would be unseeded and could face Lyon, Bodø/Glimt, Olympiacos, or the winner of Fenerbahce versus Gornik. A loss in the first round would send Hearts into the Europa League third qualifying round as unseeded opponents alongside Rangers. ## Hibs and Motherwell face Conference League uncertainty Hibernian, despite finishing fifth in last season’s Premiership, find themselves seeded in the Conference League’s second qualifying round draw, while Motherwell are not. Hibs’ potential opponents include Sweden’s GAIS and IFK Gothenburg, Israel’s Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv, Iceland’s Valur, Northern Ireland’s Coleraine, and Shelbourne of Ireland. Motherwell’s potential matchups include higher-profile clubs such as Ajax, Braga, Copenhagen, Gent, Rapid Vienna, Panathinaikos, Ludogorets Razgrad, FCSB, Partizan, AEK Larnaca, Rijeka, Cluj, HJK Helsinki, Brann, and Nordsjælland. ## Managerial changes add to draw pressure Motherwell are still considering who will replace departing manager Jens Berthel Askou, who left for Toulouse after a successful season at Fir Park. The new manager will aim to avoid repeating the club’s past Conference League disappointment, which came four years ago when they were eliminated by Ireland’s Sligo Rovers at the same stage. Hibernian head coach David Gray will hope to advance further than last season, when his side lost narrowly to Midtjylland in Europa League qualifying, defeated Partizan in Conference League qualifying, but then fell to Legia Warsaw in the play-off round.