European dates confirmed with Hearts, Celtic, Rangers guaranteed - possibly Kilmarnock, St Mirren, Dundee

Scotland’s representatives in UEFA tournaments are in for a busy few months

In here

Scotland’s European representatives face a hectic schedule over the coming months with draw and match dates confirmed for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. Celtic, Rangers and Hearts are already guaranteed European competition next season and look certain to occupy the Premiership’s final top three. Kilmarnock are firm favourites for fourth spot, while St Mirren and Dundee are competing for fifth.

Aberdeen’s elimination from the Scottish Cup by Celtic on Saturday boosted Hearts’ European prospects significantly, despite the Edinburgh club losing Sunday’s second semi-final against Rangers. Provided Hearts remain third in the league - they are currently 11 points ahead of Kilmarnock with five league games remaining and will secure that position if they win at Rugby Park this Saturday - they will take the cup’s European slot. That means entering the Europa League at the play-off stage, with progress to the league phase in the event of victory in that two-legged tie. Lose and they drop into the Conference League league stage.

Fifth place in the Premiership will now carry a European berth as a result of Aberdeen’s cup exit. UEFA have revamped all three tournaments into new-look league phases for next season, with increased fixtures in both the Champions League and Europa League.

Clubs will play eight matches against eight different opponents in the restructured league phases of those two tournaments - four at home and four away. To determine the eight different opponents, clubs will be ranked in four seeding pots. Each team will then be drawn to play two opponents from each of these pots, playing one match against a team from each pot. Their results will see all clubs ranked together in a single, 36-team league.

The Conference League adopts a similar format for the 2024/25 campaign, but clubs in that competition will still only play six matches. These will also be against six different sides within a 36-team league structure.

READ MORE: Huge change in Hearts’ European placing

The fixtures and dates are set for all three tournaments and fans of Scotland’s five representatives will be eager to know where and when their team are playing. This season’s Premiership winners go straight into the Champions League’s group phase, with runners-up entering the third qualifying round. Third place starts in the Europa League play-off, fourth spot enters the Europa League second qualifying round, and fifth place will get a slot in the Conference League second qualifying round.

The key dates for Scottish clubs up until the end of the group stages in all three tournaments are listed below:

18/19 June: Draw for first and second qualifying round in Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

23 July: Draw for third qualifying round in Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

25 July: Europa League and Conference League second qualifying round, first leg.

1 August: Europa League and Conference League second qualifying round, second leg.

5 August: Draw for play-off round in Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

6/7 August: Champions League third qualifying round, first leg.

8 August: Europa League and Conference League third qualifying round, first leg.

13 August: Champions League third qualifying round, second leg.

15 August: Europa League and Conference League third qualifying round, second leg.

20/21 August: Champions League play-off round, first leg.

22 August: Europa League and Conference League play-off round, first leg.

27/28 August: Champions League play-off round, second leg.

29 August: Europa League and Conference League play-off round, second leg.

30 August: Draw for Champions League, Europa League and Conference League group stage.

17/18/19 September: Champions League group stage, matchday 1.

25/26 September: Europa League group stage, matchday 1.

1/2 October: Champions League group stage, matchday 2.

3 October: Europa League group stage, matchday 2, and Conference League group stage, matchday 1.

22/23 October: Champions League group stage, matchday 3.

24 October: Europa League group stage, matchday 3, and Conference League group stage, matchday 2.

5/6 November: Champions League group stage, matchday 4.

7 November: Europa League group stage, matchday 4, and Conference League group stage, matchday 3.

26/27 November: Champions League group stage, matchday 5.

28 November: Europa League group stage, matchday 5, and Conference League group stage, matchday 4.

10/11 December: Champions League group stage, matchday 6.

12 December: Europa League group stage, matchday 6, and Conference League group stage, matchday 5.

19 December: Conference League group stage, matchday 6.

21/22 January: Champions League group stage, matchday 7.

23 January: Europa League group stage, matchday 7.

29 January: Champions League group stage, matchday 8.

30 January: Europa League group stage, matchday 8.