Celtic’s title win over Hearts didn’t just bring bedlam to Celtic Park. It also confirmed another crack at the Champions League and a playoff round that could define the entire direction of next season.
After Martin O’Neill’s side somehow turned around a nervy afternoon in the east end, late goals from Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand ensured the Premiership trophy stayed in Glasgow. For large parts of the day, though, it looked like Hearts were about to pull off one of the most dramatic title wins in recent memory.
Lawrence Shankland stunned the home support in the first half before Arne Engels hauled Celtic level from the penalty spot just before the interval. Hearts defended superbly after the break and slowed the tempo whenever they could, but Celtic’s bench proved decisive.
Kelechi Iheanacho injected urgency while Osmand’s movement in behind completely changed the dynamic of the game. The youngster eventually sparked scenes nobody inside Celtic Park will forget, firing home deep into stoppage time before supporters flooded onto the pitch at full-time.
That victory now sends Celtic into another Champions League playoff round, with the Hoops just one tie away from Europe’s elite competition.
As things currently stand, the playoff round will consist of ten clubs. Six sides will progress from the previous qualifying stage, while the champions of Scotland, Norway, Greece and Austria also enter at this point.
It remains difficult to predict Celtic’s exact opponents because earlier qualifying rounds still need to play out. However, based on current standings and UEFA coefficient rankings, Celtic would likely be seeded for the draw.
That would, on paper at least, provide a more favourable tie against one of the unseeded champions. Current potential opponents include clubs such as Viking, AEK Athens and LASK, although plenty can still change before August.
Of course, Celtic supporters know better than most that there are no guarantees in these qualifiers. Kairat Almaty proved that this season when they dumped Celtic out despite the Hoops entering the tie as favourites.
Should Celtic lose in the playoff round, they would drop directly into the Europa League league phase, just as they did during the 2025/26 campaign.
The playoff draw will take place on August 3, 2026. The first legs are scheduled for August 18/19, with the return fixtures taking place one week later.
