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Heart of Midlothian FC, better known as Hearts, has drawn Austrian side SK Sturm Graz in the second qualifying round of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League. The first leg kicks off July 21 at Merkur Arena in Graz, with the return fixture scheduled for July 28 in Edinburgh.
It’s been exactly 20 years since Hearts last competed in the Champions League. The last time this club was in the tournament, Twitter didn’t exist yet.
The 20-year drought and what’s at stake
Hearts last appeared in the Champions League during the 2006-07 season. That campaign saw them advance through to the third qualifying round before being redirected to the UEFA Cup. Two decades of absence from Europe’s premier club competition is a long time in football, roughly the equivalent of an entire generation of supporters who’ve never seen their club on this stage.
The draw took place on June 17, 2026, and the stakes extend well beyond the immediate matchup. The winner of the Hearts-Sturm Graz tie will face one of Lyon, Olympiacos, Bodo/Glimt, or the winner of Fenerbahce versus Gornik Zabrze in the third qualifying round.
SK Sturm Graz enters as the higher-seeded team, which means they’ll carry a structural advantage into the tie.
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