Unseeded Hibs face uncertain UEFA fate - everything you need to know about this week's Europa League draw

There will be banter. Enough to have everyone involved activating full ‘This could’ve been an email …’ passive aggressive resting face. But that’s a price worth paying for a place in UEFA competition, right?

This week’s Europa League second qualifying round draw may not be EXACTLY where Hibs wanted to find themselves this month. Having dragged themselves off the foot of the Scottish Premiership to finish third in the league, David Gray’s men were entitled to dream/expect a more substantial reward for their efforts.

But Aberdeen’s shock Scottish Cup win over Celtic saw the Dons claim the higher place on Scotland’s entry list, with Jimmy Thelin’s men entering the Europa League at the play-off stage. Even if they fail to make it beyond that stage, they’ll be guaranteed a spot in the Europa Conference League proper. Look at what you could have won, right?

Let’s take a look, then, at exactly how the land lies ahead of Wednesday’s events in Switzerland. Who could Hibs get? And when will they find out their fate?

The draw before the draw …

High noon on Wednesday is the reminder you need to set on your calendar. That’s when UEFA will be rattling the balls around the bowls in Nyon, as the second qualifying round of the Europa League is arranged into eight home-and-away ties.

But it’s not as simple as that, of course. With UEFA, it never is. Because the draw for the FIRST qualifying round only takes place 24 hours before the second qualifying round draw.

Europa League first qualifying round - Tuesday

Brace yourselves, then, for a lot of either/or when it comes to figuring out who will actually be playing who. Or is it whom?

The all-important seeding

Hibs will be unseeded for the draw on Wednesday. Regardless of how the eight ties in the first qualifying round pan out, that won’t change. All about the coefficient, right?

Looking at the seeded teams guaranteed to be on the other side of the draw, Gray’s men could face an incredibly daunting task just to reach the third qualifying round. Four of their potential opponents are all proven veterans of UEFA competition, for starters.

Danish club FC Midtjylland jump out for obvious reasons, not least the fact that they’ve been domestic champions as recently as 2024. Renowned across Europe for being one of the most innovative clubs in football, with their scouting systems and training methods much copied by teams with much bigger budgets, they missed out on back-to-back titles by just a single point last season, when they also progressed to the Europa League knockout phase play-offs, eventually losing to Real Sociedad.

Sporting Braga didn’t get out of the league phase of UEFA’s second-tier competition. But the Portuguese side only missed out on a place in the knockout phase play-offs on goal difference – and finished fourth in their domestic league behind the traditional powerhouse trio of Sporting, Benfica and Porto.

Belgian side Anderlecht also reached the Europa League knockout phase play-offs last season. Oh, and FC Lugano reached the last 16 of the Europa Conference League while finishing fourth in the Swiss Super League.

Europa League second qualifying round draw - Wednesday

The other four seeded places in the draw will come from the first qualifying round. Assuming those earlier ties – to be played on July 10 and 17 – go to form, that would mean Shakhtar Donetsk, Legia Warsaw, Sheriff Tiraspol and Partizan Belgrade all becoming possible opponents for Hibs.

If there are shocks in that first qualifying round, the winning underdogs would inherit the seeding of the team they topple. So there could be a surprise name or two in the draw …

Early start to narrow the field

This isn’t complicated enough for you? OK, then, let’s add another twist to proceedings.

On Wednesday morning, UEFA have confirmed, the 16 teams in the second qualifying round draw will be split into two groups. By the time the draw itself takes place at 13:00 Central European Time (noon back home), the number of potential opponents Hibs can face will have been reduced to four. With a couple of either/or possibilities in there.

It WILL all be clear on the day. Honestly. But you might want to log on early, just to confuse yourself a little more.

How much prep time will Gray’s men have?

Should they avoid one of the either/or combinations in Wednesday’s draw, Hibs will be able to start planning for their two-legged tie against opponent X on July 24 and 31. Get stuck with the winners of a first qualifying round tie, however, and they’ll be waiting until July 17 – just a week before they play - to make any travel/hosting arrangements.

Either way, most bookies will take one look at the record of Scottish clubs in European football … and predict an early exit for Gray’s men. If that happens, they drop into the Europa Conference League third qualifying round.

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Should they knock out a seeded side in the Europa League, however, Hibs would be rewarded with a seeding in the third qualifying round. Fall at that high hurdle and they drop into the Europa Conference League play-offs.

Go all the way to the Europa League play-offs, meanwhile, and they can still claim the prize they thought was theirs before Aberdeen upset everything at Hampden. Guaranteed European football into the new year.

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