Hibernian, the surprise winners of last season’s Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL), will face Fortuna Hjørring of Denmark in the second round of UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying. Glasgow City, the SWPL runners-up, will play Austria Vienna.
Scottish champions Hibernian drawn against Fortuna Hjorring, while Glasgow City face Austria Vienna in the Champions League qualifying.
Hibs’ victory over Fortuna Hjørring would secure a match against either Apollon Ladies (Cyprus) or Young Boys (Switzerland). Glasgow City’s reward for defeating Austria Vienna would be a clash against FC Minsk.
This unusual second-round format features mini-tournaments at yet-to-be-announced venues. Semi-finals and finals will determine the group winners, who advance to the third qualifying round—the final stage before the group phase of the 18-team competition.
Semi-finals are scheduled for August 27th, with finals and third-place play-offs three days later. Teams finishing second and third in each group will compete in Europa League qualifying.
This marks Hibernian’s return to Champions League qualifying since the 2019-20 season, following their unexpected league triumph. Midfielder Kirsten Reilly commented, “It’s going to be tough opposition, but we’re excited for the challenge. We surprised people by winning the league, so why not again? We’re confident and will bring our best game.”
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Glasgow City assistant manager Leanne Crichton expressed excitement about the Champions League return and the match against Vienna, highlighting the anticipation surrounding the draw. She acknowledged the team’s evolution since last season, emphasizing the importance of thorough opponent analysis.
Key fixtures: Hibernian vs. Fortuna Hjørring and Glasgow City vs. Austria Vienna on August 27th (venue and kickoff TBC). Subsequent matches will be played on August 30th: the winner of Hibernian/Fortuna Hjørring against the winner of Apollon/Young Boys; and the winner of Glasgow City/Austria Vienna against FC Minsk.