Scottish clubs learn European draw fate as trips to Belgium, Iceland or Albania await

Two of the five Scottish clubs involved in European competition next season have discovered which opponents await them at the first hurdle following Wednesday's draw in Nyon.

Kilmarnock will face Cercle Brugge in the Europa League second qualifying round while St Mirren take on Valur of Iceland or Vllaznia of Albania in the Conference League second qualifying round.

Kilmarnock, who finished fourth in the Scottish Premiership last term, are scheduled to host Belgian side Cercle – who also finished fourth in their league – in the first leg on the week of 25 July, with the return a week later.

Kilmarnock and St Mirren were pulled out the hat in the Europa League and Conference League second qualifying round draws. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

This will be the Rugby Park side’s first foray into Europe since their humiliating Europa League qualifying defeat by Welsh side Connah’s Quay Nomads in 2019. Brugge will be playing in European competition for the first time since the 2010/11 season and have never previously been paired with a Scottish club.

St Mirren, meanwhile, will fancy their chances of progressing in what will be their first European tie in 37 years. Stephen Robinson’s side, who finished fifth in the Premiership, will be heading to Iceland or Albania on the week of July 25, with the return in Paisley the following week.

Valur finished second in the Icelandic top flight last year and are in third place, 11 games into the current campaign. The Reykjavik side last faced a Scottish side in 1993 when they lost 7-0 on aggregate to Aberdeen in the Cup Winners’ Cup.

Vllaznia finished fourth in Albania’s Kategoria Superiore last term and have featured in Conference League qualifying in each of the previous three seasons. The Shkoder-based side have played Scottish opposition once before, when they lost 6-0 on aggregate to Dundee in the UEFA Cup, 21 years ago.

Valur and Vllaznia’s first qualifying round tie takes place on the weeks of July 11 and 18.

St Mirren must get through three ties to make it to the Conference League proper, while Kilmarnock must only successfully negotiate two ties to guarantee group-stage football with defeat in the Europa League play-off offering a parachute into the Conference League.

Champions Celtic have secured direct qualification for the Champions League group stages, the draw for which takes place on August 29. Rangers enter in the UCL third qualifying round and will discover their opponents on July 22, while Hearts learn their Europa League play-off fate on August 5.