Next season, the Scottish Cup holders will enter the Europa League in the opening qualifying round. If the cup winners also claim the league championship, that place will instead go to the Premiership runners-up.
The non-champions route is considerably more competitive, featuring clubs that secured qualification through their league positions in nations including Belgium, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Greece.
Teams eliminated from the Champions League’s non-champions route may also move into this section. Olympiakos, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz and Union St-Gilloise did so this season.
Hearts followed the non-champions route this season but lost to Benfica, while seeded Rangers exited at the same point against Jagiellonia Bialystok.
The five-year coefficients of Celtic and Rangers are declining following disappointing results from Scottish clubs. As a result, both sides could be unseeded next season and face a tougher tie against opposition from one of Europe’s leading leagues.
There is, however, one encouraging aspect.
Should the Scottish champions be eliminated from Champions League qualification and move into the Europa League qualifiers, they will meet another club that has also dropped out of the Champions League.
Celtic began this season in the Champions League play-off round, which ensured they would enter the Europa League’s league phase if they were eliminated.
Next season will be different because Scotland has slipped in the coefficient rankings. The champions will begin in the second qualifying round and need to win three separate ties to reach the Champions League.
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