Scottish sides postpone domestic fixtures to give better chance of qualifying for European competitions

Scottish sides postpone domestic fixtures to give better chance of qualifying for European competitions

Scottish sides Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Motherwell and Hibernian have each chosen to delay their Scottish Premiership fixtures set for Saturday, August 22, in order to give them a better chance of qualifying for Europe. The five sides are each bidding for spots in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. A regulation introduced in April 2025 now permits clubs competing in European competition to postpone domestic matches without requiring the consent of their opponents. Previously, both sides had to agree to any rescheduling. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Celtic, who claimed the Premiership title this season, are assured of a place in the Champions League play-offs, though their opponents remain unknown. Last year, the title holders were eliminated at the same stage by Kazakh outfit Kairat Almaty. Rangers are likewise certain to feature in a European play-off, but the specific competition is yet to be determined. They have already been paired with Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok in the Europa League third qualifying round. LATEST SPORTS NEWS Tyson Fury's Mariusz Wach boxing match waved off as fans boo Gypsy King's win LeBron James' new team confirmed as basketball icon announces surprise move ECB's Ashes northern snub is a slap in the face of England's best cricket fans Hearts, meanwhile, face a 4-0 aggregate deficit against Austrian club Sturm Graz in the Champions League second qualifying round and look set to drop into Europa League qualifying. The Edinburgh side would only sidestep a play-off if they overturned that deficit before losing in the Champions League third round, which would grant them direct entry to the Europa League league phase. Motherwell and Hibernian are both currently navigating their Conference League second qualifying round ties, and their domestic fixtures will only be shelved if they progress to the play-off stage. Motherwell hold a commanding 2-0 lead on aggregate over Faroe Island opponents HB, putt