Hibs in Europe - everything you need to know about NINE potential opponents ahead of Conference League draw

Far-flung destinations, familiar faces and European royalty. As Hibs prepare for today’s UEFA Conference League second qualifying round draw, we take a look at the NINE teams who could be drawn against David Gray’s men.

There are four either/or options in the draw, which begins at 1 pm UK time, for fixtures scheduled to take place on July 23 and 30. Here’s what we know about the potential opponents Hibs will face.

FK Vllaznia

The reigning Albanian champions are the oldest team on the island – and one of the most successful. Founded by a Maltese priest in 1919, they’re based in the northern city of Shkoder, just over the border from Montenegro.

Despite their domestic success, they’ve never made any impact on European football, with their historic high point arguably losing 4-3 to Austria Vienna in the first round of the old European Cup back in 1978. They’ve never been further than the second qualifying round of the Conference League, although they did run Icelandic opponents Vikingur Reykjavik close in a nine-goal thriller last season.

Group 6 unseeded teams

Vllaznia, who must get past FC Malisheva in the first round to set up a tie with Hibs, play their home games at the 16,000-capacity Loro Borici Stadium. Shkoder is about an hour and 20 minutes from the main airport in Tirana.

FC Malisheva

Knocked out in the first qualifying round of the Conference League in each of the last two seasons, the Kosovans are one of the smallest and newest clubs in the UEFA family. Only founded in 2016, they rose from the third tier to the first within five years.

Based in central Kosovo, sandwiched in between Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro, Malisheva play their home games at the Liman Gegaj Stadium, which has an artificial pitch – and a seating capacity of just 1800. They’re unlikely to get past Vllaznia.

NK Varazdin

Knocked out of the Conference League in the second qualifying round by Portuguese side Santa Clara last season, Croatian club Varazdin are hardly European royalty. They finished sixth in their domestic top flight last season.

They actually went bust – and were dissolved – back in 2012 but returned as a phoenix club. Based in Varazdin, about 50 miles north of Zagreb, they play their home games at the Stadion Varteks, which has a capacity of just under 9000.

Penybont FC

Everyone loves a good story. And Penybont, formed by the merger of Bridgend Town and Bryntirion Athletic in 2013, do tell a great tale.

Proud of their status as a community club, the Welsh side only secured promotion to the Cymru Premier in season 2018-19. They made their European debut in season 2023-24, losing out to FC Santa Coloma – who they face again this season – in the first qualifying round of the Conference League.

Penybont were also knocked out in the first qualifying round last season, going down 4-1 on aggregate to Lithuanian conquerors Kauno Zalgiris. They play their home games at the DragonBet Stadium, which has a 4G playing surface and a capacity of just 3000.

FC Santa Coloma

A familiar face! Hibs fans don’t need much of an explainer on this one, with the Andorrans – who face Penybont FC in the first qualifying round – having visited Easter Road as recently as 2021.

The Scots beat them 5-1 on aggregate in the third qualifying round of the Conference League, Martin Boyle (two) and Kevin Nisbet doing the damage in a 3-0 home win before a 2-1 away victory thanks to goals from Jamie Murphy and Daniel Mackay. Santa Coloma are multiple domestic champions who have actually competed in the preliminary rounds of the Champions League, back in the day.

They finished fourth in Andorra’s top flight last season. Will they be strong enough to get past Penybont again?

US Mondorf-les-Bains

Surely not fancied to get past FC Dinamo Tbilisi in the first qualifying round, the team from Luxembourg – they finished third in the league last season – are the very definition of European unknowns. Cup runners-up once, they’ve failed to trouble the scorers domestically … and have never taken part in UEFA competition.

They’re ambitious and well run, though. And are looking forward to a first crack at European football.

FC Dinamo Tbilisi

Proper European club. Semi-regulars in the Champions League qualifying rounds, the Georgian club have a genuine pedigree.

Beaten finalises in the 1981 Cup Winners’ Cup and semi-finalists the following year, they’ve struggled to make an impact in recent years. Finished fourth in the top flight last season to get back into Europe after a year’s absence.

Should get past Mondorf-les-Bains. After that, their recent record is patchy, to say the least. They play their home games at the massive Boris Paitchadze National Stadium, with a capacity of over 54,000.

Qarabag FK

So, first of all, they’re unlikely to lose in the first qualifying round of the Europa League. Which is the only way Hibs could be drawn against them.

But, just in case … they’re the strongest team in the draw by far. They made it all the way through the league phase of the Champions League last year, before losing out to Newcastle United in the play-off round.

Vestri

Icelandic club likely to lose to Qarabag in the Europa League, dropping into the Conference League as an unseeded potential opponent for Hibs. European debutants, having qualified by winning the Icelandic Cup.

They still play in the second tier, domestically, and are based in the far north-west of the country. Could be one heck of a trip, if it comes off.