Scottish football clubs in international competitions explained

Scottish football clubs have participated in European association football competitions since 1955, when Hibernian entered the inaugural European Cup.

Scottish sides have won four UEFA competitions between them, with Celtic becoming the first side from the British Isles to be European champions by winning the 1966–67 European Cup. Rangers (in 1972) and Aberdeen (in 1983) both won the Cup Winners' Cup before its abolition, with Aberdeen going on to become the only Scottish side to win the European Super Cup in the same year as their Cup Winners' Cup triumph.

The most recent appearance by a Scottish club in a European final was the 2022 UEFA Europa League final, when Rangers lost on penalties to German club Eintracht Frankfurt.

A number of non-top flight sides have represented Scotland in European competition, including Gretna and Queen of the South, via their performance in domestic cup competitions. The most recent side from outside the top level of Scottish football to play in European football was Hibernian in 2016 - 17.

Scottish clubs have never faced off in European tournaments at any stage; the closest this came to occurring was in the 1965–66 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup when Hearts lost a playoff to Zaragoza with Dunfermline already drawn to meet the winners in the next round,[1] and in the same competition two years later when, knowing Dundee would be the next opponent, Rangers were eliminated by eventual winners Leeds United.[2]

Qualification

The 2024–25 criteria for Scottish clubs to qualify for European competition are:[3]

CompetitionWho qualifies
UEFA Champions League League Stage1st in Scottish Premiership
UEFA Champions League third qualifying round2nd in Scottish Premiership
UEFA Europa League play off roundScottish Cup winners
UEFA Europa League second qualifying round3rd in Scottish Premiership
UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round4th in Scottish Premiership
If the Scottish Cup winners have already qualified for European football, then 3rd and 4th in the Scottish Premiership move up to take their place and 5th in the Scottish Premiership also qualifies.

UEFA Coefficient

YearPositionCoefficient[4]
2000 15th 20.500
2001 16th 22.625
2002 12th 26.125
2003 9th 30.375
2004 11th 32.125
2005 10th 31.750
2006 11th 30.375
2007 10th 30.500
2008 10th 33.375
2009 13th 27.875
2010 16th 25.791
2011 15th 25.141
2012 18th 21.141
2013 24th 15.191
2014 23rd 16.566
2015 23rd 17.725
2016 25th 17.300
2017 23rd 18.925
2018 26th 18.625
2019 20th 22.125
2020 14th 27.825
2021 11th 33.375
2022 9th 36.900
2023 9th 36.400
2024 11th 36.050
2025 16th 28.200*
* Season in progress

Finals

Scottish clubs have competed in all three major European finals – twice in the European Cup, four times in the UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League and four times in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.[5]

European Cup / Champions League

YearClubOpponentResult
1966–67 Celtic Inter Milanalign=center 2–1 (N)[6]
1969–70 Celtic Feyenoordalign=center 1–2 (N)[7]

UEFA Cup / Europa League

YearClubOpponent1st2ndAgg
1986–87 Dundee United IFK Göteborgalign=center 0–1 (A)align=center 1–1 (H)align=center 1–2[8]
2002–03 Celtic Portoalign=center colspan="3"2–3 (N)[9]
2007–08 Rangers Zenit Saint Petersburgalign=center colspan="3"0–2 (N)[10]
2021–22 Rangers Eintracht Frankfurtalign=center colspan="3"1–1 (4–5 p) (N)[11]

Cup Winners' Cup

YearClubOpponent1st2ndAgg
1960–61 Rangers Fiorentinaalign=center 0–2 (H)align=center 1–2 (A)align=center 1–4[12]
1966–67 Rangers Bayern Munichalign=center colspan="3"0–1 (N)[13]
1971–72 Rangers Dynamo Moscowalign=center colspan="3"3–2 (N)[14]
1982–83 Aberdeen Real Madridalign=center colspan="3"2–1 (N)[15]

Finals at Hampden

Six European club finals not involving native clubs have taken place in Scotland; all were held at Hampden Park, and all were won by either a Spanish or a German club.[16] The first, the 1960 European Cup Final, drew the highest ever attendance (127,621) to a UEFA competition final and is also the highest scoring, with Real Madrid running up a 7–3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.[17]

Scottish teams were eliminated at the semi-final stage in 1960 (Rangers) and 1966 (Celtic), and on both occasions the Scottish club involved went on to reach the final of a different European competition the following year. Hampden's two finals in the 2000s were also each followed by a Scottish team reaching a European final the next season after even longer waits: a hiatus of 26 years between Scotland hosting such events ended with the 2002 Champions League Final, before Celtic played in the 2003 UEFA Cup final 33 years after their previous showpiece appearance,[18] while the 2007 UEFA Cup final in Glasgow immediately preceded Rangers' appearance in the same tournament in 2008, having waited 36 years since their last final.[19] A similar situation occurred in the early 2020s: the UEFA Euro 2020 international tournament, including four matches at Hampden, was delayed for a year and played in 2021.[20] In the season after that, Rangers reached the 2022 UEFA Europa League Final.[11]

European finals held in Scotland
CompetitionWinnersScoreRunners-upAttendance
1959–60 European Cup Real Madrid7–3 Eintracht Frankfurt127,621
scope=row style="text-align:center"1961–62 European Cup Winners' Cup Atlético Madrid1–1 Fiorentina29,066
scope=row style="text-align:center"1965–66 European Cup Winners' Cup Borussia Dortmundalign=center 2–1 Liverpool41,657
1975–76 European Cup Bayern Munich1–0 Saint-Étienne54,864
2001–02 UEFA Champions League Real Madrid2–1 Bayer Leverkusen50,499
2006–07 UEFA Cup Sevillaalign=center 2–2 Espanyol47,602

Full European record

European Cup/Champions League

European Cup era
Clubs Total
• • • • • • • • • • • bgcolor=gold W R1 QF bgcolor=silver RU QF bgcolor=yellow SF R2 bgcolor=yellow SF R1 • • R2 • QF • R1 R2 • • • R2 • R2 • • • 15
• R1 R1 • bgcolor=yellow SF • QF • QR QF • • • • • • • • • • R2 R1 • QF • • • • • • • • QF • R1 R2 R1 13
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R2 • • • R1 QF • • • • • • 3
• • • PR • PR • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2
• • • • • • • bgcolor=yellow SF • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • bgcolor=yellow SF• • • • • • • • 1
bgcolor=yellow SF • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • R1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
Champions League era
Clubs '25Total
• • • • • • bgcolor=lightcyan Q2 • • bgcolor=lightcyan GS bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 bgcolor=lightcyan GS bgcolor=lightcyan GS Q2 bgcolor=lightgreen R16 bgcolor=lightgreen R16 GS bgcolor=lightcyan PO bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 • bgcolor=lightgreen R16 GS bgcolor=lightcyan PO bgcolor=lightcyan PO GS bgcolor=lightcyan GS bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 bgcolor=lightcyan Q2 bgcolor=lightcyan Q2 GS GS 24
GS R1 QR GS GS bgcolor=lightcyan Q2 • bgcolor=lightcyan GS bgcolor=lightcyan GS bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 • GS bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 bgcolor=lightgreen R16 • bgcolor=lightcyan GS Q2 GS bgcolor=lightcyan GS bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 • • • • • • • • • bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 GS bgcolor=lightcyan PO bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 21
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •1
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • bgcolor=lightcyan Q3 • • • • • • • • • • • •1

UEFA Cup/Europa League

UEFA Cup era
Club Total
R2 R1 R2 • • • R1 R1 R1 • R3 • • • • • R2 R1 R1 • R1 • • QR • R2 • • • QR • R1 • • • • R32 • 16
• • • • R2 • R1 R1 R2 R2 QF QF • R3 R3 bgcolor=silver RU R2 • R2 R2 • • R1 • • • Q2 • • • • • • • Q2 • • • 16
• • • • • R1 • • • • • • R3 • • • R1 • • • R2 R2 R2 • • R2 R1 R2 R2 R2 R3 bgcolor=silver RU QF • • • • • 14
• • • • • • • • • • • R2 • R2 R1 R3 • R2 • • • • • • • • R1 R3 R3 R3 R4 R1 • GS • R4 bgcolor=silver RU • 14
• • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 • R1 • QF • R2 • R2 R1 • • • • • • R1 • • R2 GS • R1 • • 10
• • R2 R2 R1 R2 • R2 • • • • • • • • • • R2 • • R1 • • • • • • • • R1 • • • R1 • • • 9
R3 • R1 R1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 • • • • • 4
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Q2 R1 • R1 • • • • • • • 3
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 PR • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 3
• • • • • • • • • R2 • • R1 • R2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Q2 • • Q2 • 2
R3 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 • • • • • • • • • 2
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Q2 • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 • • • • • • 1
• R1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Q2 1
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
Europa League era
Club '25Total
GS PO GS • • bgcolor=lightgreen R32 GS • bgcolor=lightcyan R32 bgcolor=lightgreen R32 bgcolor=lightgreen R32 GS bgcolor=lightyellow GS • • 10
Q3 • • • • Q3 Q3 Q3 Q3 Q2 Q3 Q3 • • bgcolor=lightyellow PO •9
• bgcolor=lightcyan R16 PO • • • • • Q1 GS bgcolor=lightgreen R16 bgcolor=lightgreen R16 bgcolor=silver RU • bgcolor=lightgreen R16 8
Q3 PO • PO Q3 Q2 • • • • • Q3 • • • •6
• • • Q2 Q3 Q3 Q1 • Q1 • • • Q3 • • •6
PO • PO PO • • • Q2 • • • • • bgcolor=lightyellow PO • 5
• Q3 • • Q2 • • Q2 • Q3 • • • • • •4
• PO Q2 Q3 • • • • • • • • • • • •3
Q2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •1
• • • • • • Q2 • • • • • • • • •1
• • • • • • • • • • Q1 • • • • bgcolor=lightyellowQ21

Conference League

Conference League
Club '25Total
bgcolor=lightcyanR32 • • 1
Q3 • PO •2
PO • bgcolor=lightcyanGS •2
• Q2 • •1
• Q3 • •1
• bgcolor=lightcyanGS PO 2
• • • bgcolor=lightcyan1
St Mirren•••Q31

Intertoto Cup

Between 1995 and 2008, UEFA ran the Intertoto Cup, a summer competition for sides that had not qualified for the other European competitions with the sides progressing the furthest qualifying for the UEFA Cup (it had operated independently since the 1960s, but no clubs from Scotland – among other nations – took part in that era). Scottish clubs were only involved five times, with Hibernian being the closest side to qualify for the UEFA Cup through this tournament, losing on away goals in the 2006 edition. The competition was abolished in 2008, with sides who would have entered the competition entering the UEFA Europa League instead.

Club Total
• • • • • • • • • R2 • R3 • R2 3
• • • • • • R1 • • • • • • • 1
GS • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1

Cup Winners' Cup

A single Scottish club was entered into the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup throughout its history – usually the winners of the Scottish Cup. In years in which the Scottish Cup holders had already qualified for the European Cup or Champions League, the other finalist would be entered in their place. For the 1983–84 edition, two Scottish sides were entered – Rangers as Scottish Cup runners-up and Aberdeen as the holders of the competition (and the Scottish Cup). The Cup Winners' Cup was merged with the UEFA Cup in 1999.

Club Total
bgcolor=silver RU • R1 • • • bgcolor=silver RU • • R2 • bgcolor=gold W • R2 • • • R1 • R2 • R1 • R2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 10
• • • • • • • R2 • • R1 • • • • • • • R2 • • • bgcolor=gold W bgcolor=yellow SF • • R1 • • • R2 • • R2 • • • • • 8
• • • bgcolor=yellow SF • bgcolor=yellow SF • • • • • • • • • QF • • • • R1 • • • R2 R1 • • • R1 • • • • • R2 • • • 8
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • R2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • R2 • • • • • R1 • • • • 3
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • QR • R1 3
• QF • • • • • • bgcolor=yellow SF • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • 2
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 • • • • • • 1
• • • • R2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • • • QF • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 • 1
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 • • • • • • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R2 • • • • • • • • • • • 1

Super Cup

Only two Scottish clubs have competed in the UEFA Super Cup since its creation, with Rangers and Aberdeen both competing as winners of the Cup Winners' Cup.

YearClubOpponent1st2ndAgg.
Ajax align=center 1–3 (H) align=center 2–3 (A) align=center 3–6
Aberdeen align=center 0–0 (A) align=center 2–0 (H) align=center 2–0

Final appearance by competition

CompetitionWinnersRunners-upTotal
European Cup / UEFA Champions Leaguealign=center 1align=center 1align=center 2
UEFA Cup Winners' Cupalign=center 2align=center 2align=center 4
UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa Leaguealign=center 0align=center 4align=center 4
UEFA Super Cupalign=center 1align=center 1align=center 2
Total4812

Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, set up to promote international trade fairs, was played between 1955 and 1971, although no Scottish teams entered until the 1960–61 edition which was the first to be completed over a single season. The competition was initially only open to teams from cities that hosted trade fairs and where these teams finished in their national league had no relevance, therefore the number of entrants varied each year, and at times was restricted to one per city (Clyde were denied entry to the 1967–68 competition when they finished in 3rd place in the Scottish League, as Rangers finished above them and were given the single Fairs Cup place for Glasgow; the Bully Wee never played in Europe). After 1968, it was sometimes referred to as the Runners-up Cup, with teams now qualifying based on league position. In 1971, it came under the auspices of UEFA and was replaced by the UEFA Cup.[21] UEFA does not consider clubs' records in the Fairs Cup to be part of their European record;[21] [22] however, FIFA does view the competition as a major honour.

No Scottish team reached the final of the Fairs Cup, although four different clubs reached the semi-finals, including Kilmarnock in 1966–67, the same season as Celtic and Rangers both reached the finals of the other continental tournaments and Scotland defeated England at Wembley.[23] [24] It was Leeds United who ended Kilmarnock's dream, and in the following 1967–68 edition, the Yorkshire club eliminated three Scottish teams in successive rounds on their way to winning the cup – Hibernian in Round Three (2–1 on aggregate), Rangers in the quarter-final (2–0) and Dundee in the semi-final (2–1).[25] The next year, Rangers made the semi-final but again were eliminated by an English opponent who went on to lift the trophy, this time Newcastle United.[26]

Club Total
• • bgcolor=yellowSF R2 QF • • R1 • R3 R3 • R3 7
• • • • • • R2 • bgcolor=yellowSF • • R3 R1 4
• • • • R2 • R3 • R2 • • R3 • 4
• • • • • • • • • QF bgcolor=yellowSF • R1 3
• • • • • • • • R3 • • R1 R2 3
• • • R2 • R1 • R3 • • • • • 3
• • • • R1 • R2 • • • • • • 2
• • • • • • • • • bgcolor=yellowSF • • • 1
• • • • • R2 • • • • • • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • R2 • • 1
• • • • • • • • • • R1 • • 1

Overall club record

[27]

width=150pxClubwidth=30pxPldwidth=30pxWwidth=30pxDwidth=30pxLwidth=30pxGFwidth=30pxGAwidth=30pxGDwidth=30pxW%width=30pxPtswidth=30pxP/G
231
0
634
51
171
76
3
0
1
117
159
1
54
5
33
13
0
7
597
30
14
Total 2,160

Intercontinental Cup

Before being supplanted by the FIFA Club World Cup, the now defunct Intercontinental Cup served as a de facto annual world club championship contested by the European and South American club champions. The only Scottish side to have competed in the competition was Celtic in 1967, following their European Cup win.[28]

Scottish Challenge Cup

The 2016–17 Scottish Challenge Cup saw the addition of four non-Scottish league sides for the first time. The competition, usually involving sides from the national divisions below the top flight, introduced top two teams from the Welsh Premier League and Northern Ireland's NIFL Premiership entered the competition in the fourth round.[29] Welsh champions The New Saints progressed furthest of the four, being defeated in the semi-finals by St Mirren. The 2017–18 competition saw two League of Ireland sides compete along with two from Wales and Northern Ireland.[30] This time the guest teams entered in the second round, with TNS and Crusaders both reaching the semi-finals. The 2018–19 edition was expanded again, this time to include two teams from the English fifth tier National League along with the teams from the other Celtic nations.[31]

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EYBAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1aMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1651%2C514137 Hearts Beaten by Only Goal
  2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CGRAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p6MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1911%2C1650494 Enormous Task for Rangers at Elland Road
  3. Web site: Access List 2021/22. 2024-08-15. kassiesa.net.
  4. Web site: UEFA European Cup Coefficients Database. Bert Kassies. kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl. 1 August 2018.
  5. Web site: Scottish Teams in Europe - Finals. londonhearts.com. 1 August 2018.
  6. Web site: Celtic win European Cup 1967. BBC Sport. 17 October 2014. 11 August 2018.
  7. Web site: 1970-05-06: Celtic 1-2 Feyenoord, European CupThis is a featured page. thecelticwiki.com. 11 August 2018.
  8. Web site: Dundee Utd reach the UEFA Cup Final 1987. Dave Low. BBC. 16 October 2014. 11 August 2018.
  9. Web site: Porto end Celtic's Uefa dream. BBC Sport. 21 May 2003. 11 August 2018.
  10. Web site: Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Rangers. Clive Lindsay. BBC Sport. 14 May 2008. 11 August 2018.
  11. Web site: Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Rangers (AET, Frankfurt win 5-4 on pens) . BBC. BBC Sport. 18 May 2022. 19 May 2022.
  12. Web site: When Rangers met Fiorentina in '61. Keir Murray. BBC Sport. 22 April 2008. 11 August 2018.
  13. Web site: When Euro glory evaded Rangers. Keir Murray. BBC Sport. 30 May 2007. 11 August 2018.
  14. Web site: Rangers triumph in Europe 1972. BBC Sport. 17 October 2014. 11 August 2018.
  15. Web site: Fergie's greatest triumph? - How Aberdeen conquered European football. Steven Brocklehurst. BBC News. 9 May 2013. 11 August 2018.
  16. Web site: Hampden's Euro roll-call . BBC. BBC Sport. 14 May 2007. 24 January 2018.
  17. Web site: 114 Years of the Hampden Roar. Scottish Football Museum. 31 October 2017. 24 January 2018.
  18. Web site: O'Neill inspired by Lions. BBC. BBC Sport. 20 May 2003. 24 January 2018.
  19. Web site: Echoes of 1972. BBC. BBC Sport. 13 May 2008. 23 September 2018.
  20. Web site: Euro 2020: Croatia 3-1 Scotland - Steve Clarke's side undone at Hampden . BBC. BBC Sport. 22 June 2021. 19 May 2022.
  21. Web site: UEFA Cup: All-time finals . UEFA . 30 June 2005 . 30 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150831110235/http://en.archive.uefa.com/uefa/news/kind%3D1/newsid%3D2571.html . 31 August 2015 . dead .
  22. Web site: UEFA Europa League: History: New format provides fresh impetus . UEFA . 30 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160321205541/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/history/index.html . 21 March 2016 . live.
  23. Web site: 1967 & all that. The Herald . 25 May 2007. 23 September 2018.
  24. Web site: Never mind England in 1966, here's Scotland conquering Europe in 1967 . . Richard Foster . 29 February 2016. 23 September 2018.
  25. Web site: European Nights: Dundee 1 1 Leeds United (report and contemporary newspaper scans). Leeds United F.C. History. 1 May 1968. 23 September 2018.
  26. Web site: Newcastle United v Glasgow Rangers: The battle of St James' Park in 1969. ChronicleLive. 7 February 2015. 23 September 2018.
  27. Web site: Scottish Teams in Europe. londonhearts.com. 6 August 2009. 1 August 2018.
  28. News: Celtic to play Racing Club on 50th anniversary of shame games. Evening Times. 6 November 2014. 23 September 2018.
  29. Web site: Northern Irish and Welsh sides to join top flight U20s in Challenge Cup. STV News. 8 June 2016. 27 January 2019.
  30. Web site: Irn-Bru Cup expanded for 2017/18. Scottish Professional Football League. 7 June 2017. 27 January 2019.
  31. Web site: Sutton United & Boreham Wood to enter Irn Bru Scottish Challenge Cup. BBC Sport. 8 June 2018. 27 January 2019.

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