Celtic have been drawn against Austrian champions LASK in the final qualifying round for a place in the Champions League group stage, while Brighton & Hove Albion will meet either Romanian side CFR Cluj or Norwegian club Tromsø in the Conference League play‑off. The draw for the play‑off stages of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League took place on Monday, and it also revealed the next opponents for Scottish clubs Rangers, Hearts, Hibernian, Motherwell and Larne. Martin O'Neill's Celtic will host the first leg of the two‑legged tie against LASK on either 18 or 19 August, with the return match scheduled for 25 or 26 August.
Should Celtic lose the tie, they will drop straight into the Europa League group phase, preserving a European campaign even if the Champions League dream ends. The fixtures are crucial for the Glasgow side, as a place in the Champions League not only brings prestige but also significant financial rewards that can be reinvested in the squad. Brighton, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season, have been paired with the winner of a preliminary clash between CFR Cluj and Tromsø.
The first leg is set for 20 August, with the second leg on 27 August, and Brighton will host the decisive match. The Seagulls will therefore play the second leg at home, sandwiched between their opening league fixture against Aston Villa on 23 August, a game that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The scheduling means Brighton will have to manage a tight turnaround between domestic and European commitments.
In Scotland, Rangers and Hearts learned who they could face in the Europa League play‑off round if they progress from their third‑round qualifiers. Rangers, under Derek McInnes, travel to Poland to take on Jagiellonia Białystok on Thursday for the first leg, with the return leg at Ibrox a week later.
If Rangers win, they will meet either Northern Irish champions Larne or Georgian side Iberia 1999 in the play‑off. The first leg of that tie would be on 20 August at Ibrox, with the second leg the following week. Should Larne lose their play‑off, they will be redirected into the Conference League play‑offs where they could face Lincoln Red Imps or Omonia. Hearts, who fell out of the Champions League and dropped into the Europa League, have been drawn against either AGF Aarhus from Denmark or Sabah from Azerbaijan.
The first leg will be at Tynecastle on 20 August, with the return on 27 August. However, Hearts must first overcome a third‑round tie against Benfica, travelling to Portugal for the first leg and returning home for the second. Both clubs are assured another chance at European football because if they lose in the third round of the Europa League, they will drop into the Conference League play‑off round. Rangers would then face either Jablonec or RFS, while Hearts could be drawn against Paide or SK Rapid in the Conference League play‑offs.
The prospect of a congested schedule has prompted both clubs to request postponements for their domestic league matches that fall between the two legs of any potential play‑off tie. Consequently, Rangers' match against St Mirren and Hearts' trip to Falkirk have both been rescheduled.
Motherwell have a tantalising opportunity to meet Bundesliga side Freiburg – the runners‑up in last season's Europa League – in the Conference League play‑off, provided they beat HJK Helsinki in the third qualifying round. Alfred Johansson's Motherwell will travel to Helsinki on Wednesday for the first leg, with the return leg at Fir Park on Thursday 13 August. Hibernian's path leads to a possible clash with either IFK Gothenburg or Gent after they overcome KF Shkëndija. Hibs will host Shkëndija on Thursday, with the second leg on 13 August, aiming to secure a place in the Conference League play‑offs that take place on 20 and 27 August.
The broader schedule for the Conference League play‑offs includes a long list of match‑ups across Europe. First‑leg fixtures are slated for 18/19 August, with second legs on 25/26 August, followed by another set of first legs on 20 August and second legs on 27 August.
Some of the highlighted pairings are: - Levski Sofia or Kairat Almaty versus AEK Athens - Dinamo Zagreb or Kauno Žalgiris against Viking - Mjällby or Slovan Bratislava versus Ararat-Armenia or Celje - Hapoel Be'er Sheva or Red Star Belgrade versus AGF Aarhus or Sabah - Fenerbahçe or Sturm Graz versus Sparta Prague or Lyon - Olympiakos or NEC Nijmegen versus Union Saint‑Gilloise, Bodø/Glimt - Trabzonspor versus Ferencvár or Görník Zabrze - KuPS Kuopio or Universitatea Craiova versus Ararat-Armenia or Celje - Sint‑Truiden versus Lincoln Red Imps or Omonia - Shamrock Rovers or Egnatia versus Lillestrøm - Jagiellonia Białystok or Rangers versus Larne or Iberia 1999 Tbilisi - Lech Poznań or KI Klaksvik versus Thun or Vikingur Reykjavik - Hradec Králové or Beşiktaş versus Dinamo Zagreb or Kauno Žalgiris - Benfica or Hearts versus AGF Aarhus or Sabah - OFI Crete versus Maccabi Tel Aviv or CSKA Sofia - and many more across the continent. These fixtures illustrate the depth and breadth of the UEFA Conference League, offering clubs from smaller leagues a realistic chance of progressing deep into European competition.
For Scottish clubs, the play‑off rounds represent both a financial lifeline and a platform to showcase talent on a larger stage. The outcomes of these ties will shape the European calendars for the participating teams, determining whether they will be competing in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League group stages. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, with the Sky Sports app providing streaming for those without a traditional subscription.
The app also offers instant access without a long‑term contract, and updates are available via Sky Sports on WhatsApp for those who prefer mobile notifications. In summary, Celtic's encounter with LASK could secure a coveted Champions League berth, while Brighton's battle against either CFR Cluj or Tromsø will decide their fate in the Conference League. Rangers, Hearts, Motherwell, Hibernian and other Scottish clubs have also been mapped out for their upcoming European journeys, with a mixture of domestic rescheduling and intense travel ahead as they vie for continental qualification.