Celtic hosts LASK in Champions League play-off as both domestic champions chase group stage berth

Two domestic champions, zero prior history, and one spot in the Champions League league phase on the line. Celtic Park plays host to LASK Linz on August 19, 2026, in a play-off first leg that represents the final hurdle before Europe’s most lucrative club competition.

Kick-off is set for 8pm BST in Glasgow, with the return leg scheduled for August 25 in Linz. The winner across two legs earns a place in the 2026/27 Champions League league phase.

A fresh rivalry with familiar stakes

This is the first competitive meeting between Celtic FC and LASK Linz in any UEFA competition.

Both sides arrive with domestic silverware freshly polished. Celtic secured the Scottish Premiership title, continuing their sustained dominance north of the border. LASK clinched the Austrian Bundesliga championship.

Martin O’Neill leads Celtic into the tie. His counterpart, Dietmar Kühbauer, guides LASK.

The financial and competitive backdrop

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK, with streaming available on Discovery+ and HBO Max.

Celtic’s European pedigree stretches back decades, including their legendary 1967 European Cup triumph, making them the first British club to win the competition. LASK, founded in 1899, have their own continental history, notably a strong 2019/20 Europa League group-stage campaign before falling to Manchester United in the knockout stage.

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