Hearts face transfer predicament after Conference League clinched and Hibs could face similar conundrum
Hearts and Hibs will be aware of European squad deadlines when assessing possible transfer business.
Hearts, and possibly Hibs, could face a transfer deadline conundrum next week after Conference League qualification.
The Jambos are in the competition’s league phase after a heroic play-off penalty shootout win over Rapid SK in Vienna and have six more continental clashes ahead of them between now and Christmas. Hibs will hope to join them in the 36-team shake-up when they face Gent at Easter Road in their second leg and that tie stands at 0-0 currently following a goalless Belgian affair last week.
Qualification could now see transfer priorities shift at Hearts and Hibs may need plans to act in similar fashion. This summer’s deadline in Scotland is September 3 at 5pm, just hours before the first Edinburgh derby of the season at Easter Road on Premiership business, but Hearts will need to act faster if they want new recruits involved in the Conference League.
When is the European league phase squad deadline for Hearts and Hibs?
European squad deadlines across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League is 22:59 GMT on September 2. This is not an issue for English clubs, for example, where the transfer window shuts on September 1. However, the likes of Hearts and possibly Hibs face an added level of time pressure on getting new recruits in the door with only exceptional circumstances like injury allowing changes beyond the UEFA deadline. The capital pair have been able to make changes to their squads prior to the first legs of each qualifier they have played so far but that does not look likely to be the case in the league phase. The draw takes place on Friday.
In guidance for the Champions League that extends across all UEFA competitions, it’s stated by Europe’s governing football body: “To participate in UEFA Champions League matches, a player must be registered on either List A or List B in accordance with the competition regulations. List A must be submitted by the club to UEFA and subsequently verified and validated by the relevant association by 23:59 CET on Wednesday 2 September 2026.
“List B can be amended throughout the season and must be submitted no later than 23:59 CET on the day before the match in question. The seven teams that qualify from the play-offs do not have to use the same lists in the league phase. Domestic transfer windows involving clubs in the UEFA Champions League league phase vary by nation. However, all clubs have to register their UEFA Champions League lists by the above-mentioned 2 September deadline and any subsequent transfers will not be eligible for the league phase.
What rules are in place for UEFA squads during European league phases?
“Clubs are entitled to register a maximum of 25 players on List A during the season, of whom at least two must be goalkeepers. As a minimum, eight of those 25 places are reserved exclusively for 'locally trained players' and no club may have more than four 'association-trained players' listed among those eight places. If a club has fewer than eight locally trained players in their squad, then the maximum number of players on List A is reduced accordingly.
“A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after 1 January 2005 and has, since his 15th birthday, been eligible to play for the club concerned for an uninterrupted period of two years, or for a total of three consecutive years with a maximum one-year loan spell at a club from the same association. Players aged 16 may also be registered if they have been registered with the club for the previous two years without interruption.
“A replacement of an outfield player registered on List A is permitted in the case of a long-term injury or illness lasting at least 60 days. During the league phase, up to and including Matchday 6, a club may temporarily replace a maximum of one outfield player and register a new outfield player, provided that player was already registered with the club before the List A deadline of 2 September 2026. The locally trained players quota must continue to be respected. If the injured or ill player recovers before the end of the 60-day period, that player remains ineligible to participate in UEFA club competitions until the end of the period.