Heart of Midlothian will discover their Conference League fate on Friday, 28 August when the league phase draw takes place in Monaco at 12:00 BST. The Edinburgh club are one of two British sides in the competition this season, sitting in pot four ahead of what promises to be a compelling group of fixtures.

How the draw works

This season's Conference League features 36 clubs, each placed into one of six pots according to UEFA's club coefficient rankings, calculated over the five-season period ending with the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign. Every team will play six league phase matches — one against an opponent drawn from each of the six pots — and cannot be drawn against a club from their own country.

The structure then splits into three distinct outcomes. The eight highest-placed sides at the end of the league phase progress directly to the last 16. Clubs finishing between ninth and 24th enter a play-off knockout round, while the bottom 12 — those ranked 25th to 36th — are eliminated entirely once the league phase concludes.

Where Hearts sit and who they could face

Hearts occupy pot four, meaning they are guaranteed a home-and-away schedule that will test them across all corners of the draw. Their pot four companions include Belgian side Sint-Truiden, Norwegian club Brann, Kazakhstan outfit Kaisat, Turkish side Trabzonspor and Romanian club Universitatea Craiova.

From the top of the draw, pot one contains some genuinely formidable names: Atalanta, Braga, Ajax, SC Freiburg, AS Monaco and FC Copenhagen. Any of those clubs could land in Hearts' section of the draw, which would represent a significant step up from domestic competition.

Pot two features Brighton and Hove Albion — England's only representative in the competition — alongside Midtjylland, Red Star Belgrade, Gent, Panathinaikos and Pafos. The prospect of a British derby between Hearts and Brighton, should the draw fall that way, would capture plenty of attention.

La Liga side Getafe headline pot three, joined by Lugano, KuPS, FC Twente, Lincoln Red Imps and Borac Banja Luka. From pot five, Czech club Jablonec — who beat Rangers on penalties to reach the league phase — are among a group that also includes Hadjuk Split, Nordsjaelland, AGF, Riga and Inter d'Escaldes.

Pot six includes clubs entirely new to European football at this level, among them Kauno Zalgiris, Mjallby AIF, Iberia 1999 and Egnatia, who will all be making their debut in a UEFA club competition.

The bigger picture

The Conference League draw is being held as a joint event alongside the Europa League draw in Monaco, with the Conference League expected to follow the Europa League. Three of the last four Conference League trophies have been claimed by Premier League clubs, giving the competition a strong recent association with English football — though it is Scottish football making the running this time, with Hearts carrying British hopes in pot four.

For Hearts, qualification for this stage alone represents a considerable achievement, and the league phase structure at least guarantees six matches regardless of early form. The market will have a clearer picture of the Edinburgh club's prospects once Friday's draw pairs them with six opponents from across the continent.

Frequently asked

What pot are Hearts in for the Conference League draw?
Heart of Midlothian are in pot four for the 2026-27 Conference League league phase draw, which takes place in Monaco on Friday, 28 August at 12:00 BST.
How many games do teams play in the Conference League league phase?
Each of the 36 clubs plays six league phase matches — one against a team drawn from each of the six pots — and cannot face a side from the same country.
How do teams qualify from the Conference League league phase?
The top eight sides advance directly to the last 16. Teams finishing ninth to 24th enter a play-off round, while those ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated at the end of the league phase.