Hibs & Motherwell Learn Tough Conference League Play-Off Paths
Hibs and Motherwell discover Conference League play-off opponents - Freiburg and IFK Gothenburg or Gent await in final qualifying hurdle.
Hibernian and Motherwell have discovered their potential opponents in the UEFA Conference League play-off round, with both Scottish sides facing formidable challenges should they progress through their third qualifying round ties.
The draw for the final qualifying round of Europe’s third-tier competition was made this afternoon, with four Scottish clubs learning their fate.
The winners of the third qualifying round advance to the two-legged play-off round, with victory securing a place in the league phase of the Conference League. The losers face elimination from European competition for this season.
For Motherwell, overcoming HJK Helsinki would set up a mouth-watering clash with German Bundesliga opposition in Freiburg, a side that reached last year’s Europa League final. Hibs, meanwhile, must first dispatch Shkendija before facing either Swedish or Belgian opponents in the form of Gothenburg or Gent.
The play-off ties are scheduled for August 20 and 27, 2026, with UEFA expected to publish the full match schedule within 24 hours of the draw. Both Scottish clubs know that navigating their current opponents is the first hurdle before they can dream of European league-phase football.