Some of Hearts' potential European opponents confirmed - plus a list of who could join them

The Europa League play-off takes place in late August

Some of Hearts’ potential European opponents have been confirmed ahead of August’s Europa League play-off. The Edinburgh club enter the competition at the final stage before the league phase and are certain of a difficult tie given which clubs are already in the draw - and which ones might join them.

Hearts finished third in this season’s Scottish Premiership but take the Scottish Cup winners’ spot in the Europa League play-off. This is because cup holders Celtic enter the Champions League as Premiership title winners. Victory will take Steven Naismith’s side through to the Europa League’s group phase, whilst defeat carries a parachute into the Conference League.

Hearts are likely to be unseeded in the play-off draw due to their relatively low UEFA co-efficient of 7.210. Guaranteed to be in among the seeds are Anderlecht, who finished third in Belgium but take the national cup winner’s European place, plus LASK Linz, who came third in Austria but get their country’s cup spot, and Besiktas, who won the Turkish cup.

Other clubs expected to progress through the Europa League’s qualifying rounds into the play-off, and who would also then be seeded, are Dutch giants Ajax, Sporting Braga of Portugal, Czech side Viktoria Plzen, Malmo of Sweden and Cypriot club APOEL Nicosia.

Hungarians Ferencvaros, Qarabag of Azerbaijan and Turkish side Trabzonspor may also become play-off seeds depending on whether they can navigate their way through the earlier qualifying rounds - and which teams they overcome en route. There will also be six clubs parachuting into the draw as losers from the Champions League’s third qualifying round in mid-August.

The Europa League play off first leg is due to take place on 22 August, with the return leg a week later on 29 August. Hearts will prepare for this year’s European adventure with a week-long training camp in Tenerife in early July.