Scottish club faces a huge disaster as they will be excluded from the 2026-2027 Europa League after the SPFL released an official statement

Scotland’s European places for 2026/27: Hearts, Hibs, Celtic, Rangers and other Premiership teams affected

UEFA’s co-efficient system will again guarantee Scotland five European places for season 2026/27. Premiership teams are currently well into their stride in the league campaign, with the usual suspects aiming to finish in the upper echelons and secure European football next term. It is far from a straightforward process for any team finding themselves engaging in continental competition.

Recent seasons saw Scotland’s champions gain automatic entry to the Champions League, and with it a tidy income exceeding £30m. This year, though, they faced a play-off, Celtic losing to the Kazakhstani side Kairat Almaty. Scotland lost the automatic Champions League slot after dropping to 11th place in UEFA’s ranking system, and at the end of season 2024/25 they sat 14th.

So, what does that mean for Premiership clubs looking to qualify for Europe in the months ahead? Well, this season’s Scottish league winners will again enter the Champions League play-off needing to win that two-legged tie to reach the group phase. Current leaders Hearts would be unseeded due to their club co-efficient, but Celtic may be seeded if they win the title, depending on which other clubs are in the hat. Defeat in the Champions League play-off carries the safety net of a parachute into the Europa League’s league stage – guranteeing a further eight European matches.

The club finishing second in the Premiership – currently Celtic – enter the Champions League’s second qualifying round. They would need to negotiate that round, then the third qualifying round, and finally the play-off round to reach the tournament’s league phase. Losing in the Champions League’s second qualifying round brings a drop into the Europa League’s third qualifying round. Losing in the Champions League’s third qualifying round would mean the consolation of a Europa League play-off.

Both third and fourth place in Scotland’s top flight – currently Hibs and Rangers respectively – carry the reward of a spot in the Conference League’s second qualifying round for next season. Teams would then require to win that round, plus the third qualifying round and the play-off round to enter the Conference League’s league phase. Doing so would guarantee them a further six matches in the competition. However, there is no parachute from the Conference League at any stage, so each tie would be pressure-filled.

As is always the case, the Scottish Cup winners are also entitled to one of the European slots. That will be a place in the Europa League third qualifying round. In recent years, the prize for lifting the cup was a Europa League play-off with guaranteed parachute into the Conference League’s league stage. That is not the case from 2026 due to the poor European results which saw Scotland slip to 14th in UEFA’s association rankings. So, cup winners now go into the Europa League third qualifying round and drop into the Conference League play-off if they lose. They would then need to win the two-legged play-off tie to reach the league phase.

Should the Scottish Cup winners also finish in the top two in the Premiership, and thus take up a Champions League berth, then the cup’s European reward would go to the club finishing third in the table. That would enable the team in fifth place to gain European entry. Teams sitting fourth and fifth would then take up the two places in the Conference League’s second qualifying round which are presently reserved for third and fourth spot.

The situation is likely to get worse for Scottish clubs in terms of European places. Disappointing results for Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibs and Dundee United this term leaves Scotland presently sitting 18th in UEFA’s rankings. There is still time for that to change if those still competing on the continental stage – Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen – can garner better results in the weeks ahead. Failure to finish in the top 15 would see the Premiership lose a European place from 2027.