Scottish Women's Football

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Hearts will face FC Gintra and Rangers will play Slavia Prague in the Women's Champions League second qualifying round.

Both Hearts and Rangers have been drawn alongside three other teams and will contest in mini-tournaments comprising two semi-finals and a final.

Both semi-final matches will be played at a single venue on Wednesday 5 August, with the winners of each tie playing each other in a final on Saturday 8 August for a place in the third qualifying round. There will also be a third place play-off game on the same day.

Should Rangers win, they will face the winner of Ajax v Brondby in the final.

"We know it'll be tough, but the reality is it's where we wanted to be, it's brilliant" Rangers head coach Leanne Crichton told BBC Scotland.

"Regardless of who we were drawn against, for different reasons, it was going to be tough but on the face of it, it's a draw that we're looking forward to.

"We'll hope to go and prove ourselves and show that we deserve to be back on the European stage."

In Hearts' mini tournament, Danish side HB Koge will play the winner of group three from the first qualifying round - that could be one of Armenian outfit Pyunik, Welsh side Wrexham, Northern Irish team Glentoran or Latvian side Riga - in their semi-final. Should Hearts see off Gintra, they'd play the winner of that tie.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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Aston Villa have signed Scotland forward Mia McAulay from Rangers.

The 19-year-old progressed through the academy at Rangers and broke into the first team squad in the Scottish Women's Premier League.

She made her senior debut for Rangers at 16 and went on to make over 100 appearances for her childhood team.

The winger made her Scotland debut in May 2025 and has since gone on to make five appearances.

Earlier on Wednesday, Villa's top-scorer last season, Kirsty Hanson, joined Women's Super League rivals Tottenham.

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Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta: "I'm mixed [emotions].

"I'm a bit all over the place to be honest.

"Proud, if I put some words on it right now, proud, really pleased with the campaign and the performances.

"In the second half we were aware of what was happening in that other game, we had processes in place to have that information handy, but I think what's bigger than pressure is expectation, and these players have high expectations of themselves, and no one can be harder on themselves than this group.

"I think to manage all that and perform the way that they have across the six games.

"Yeah, I'm just proud of them, and it puts us on the front foot and in good standing for the first playoff.

"I don't think she'll [Caroline Weir] like me talking too much about her.

"She's quite humble, you know what, she'd want me to talk about her teammates, and she is so well supported by the other leaders in the group."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta has been addressing the media as her side prepare for Tuesday's final World Cup group meeting with Israel in Hungary.

Here are the key points:

• Erin Cuthbert's knee injury in Friday's 6-0 win over Israel was not as bad as first feared, but the Chelsea midfielder is "heading home and will be in the care of her club", but when asked if the player would make October's play-offs, the Australian would simply be taking it "day by day".

• Andreatta revealed: "We have a replacement ready to go and you'll have to stay tuned for that one."

• "Squad depth is really important and that's been building really nicely over the 13 or so, 14 months that I've been in post and we'll be counting on that again tomorrow night," the head coach said.

• Andreatta is looking for "more of the same in terms of the performance".

• She was pleased with the number of chances created but stressed: "We want to turn those chances into higher-quality chances and hopefully that leads to a higher conversion rate too."

• With Scotland top of the group, four goals better off that Belgium, who visit Luxembourg at the same time, but Andreatta insisted: "We're going to stay in our bubble and focus on what we can control. That's when that whistle goes. We're on the front foot and building on the performance you saw on Friday night."

• There is no automatic qualification for the group winners, but it does come with a better seeding in the play-offs, but Andreatta said: "It's by-the-by really, path one, path two and the different seedings, we've looked into that and, ultimately, it's all about the next game and that's tomorrow night and when we get that job done, then we'll look ahead."

• As for Israel, Andreatta said: "All I know about this team is they're super competitive and, when they cross that white line and the whistle goes, it's anyone's game."

• Of her own team, she added: "I just see a group of people that are getting more connected and cohesive as a unit and we'll just keep doing what we've been doing to strengthen that further."

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Midfielder Erin Cuthbert will miss Scotland's World Cup qualifier with Israel on Tuesday and has returned to Chelsea for "a short period of rehabilitation" after injuring her knee, the Scottish FA have confirmed.

Cuthbert, 27, went off in the closing stages of Friday's 6-0 win over the Israelis in Budapest - having earlier scored - and was taken to hospital.

She has now returned to London "for further assessment".

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Kirsty Hanson heaped praise on Caroline Weir after the Scotland captain inspired a 6-0 victory over Israel in World Cup qualifying.

Weir scored a superb hat-trick as the Scots boosted their chances over topping Group B4.

They face Israel again on Tuesday, while second-placed Belgium take on Luxembourg.

"It is just good to have a captain like that," Hanson said. "Just look up to her, play with her, all learn off her but obviously she is a role model for everyone, so we all look up to her

"She sets the standards and, if she is playing well, we all play well.

"Very happy to score loads of goals, but we have another game and we just move on to the next one."

Hanson also got on the scoresheet late on as Melissa Andreatta's side significantly improved their goal difference.

Scotland and Belgium are both on 11 points, but the Scots are four ahead on goal difference before the final round of group fixtures.

"We just wanted to score as many goals as we can, so we did that, got the win we needed and on to the next game," Hanson added.

"We are just focused on ourselves.

"Just to be patient and play to our strengths. We maybe rushed things as we knew where we could hurt them.

"We had to be patient, move them around, find the gaps and we did that in the second half."

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Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta: "The performance was what we were looking for and we knew that, if we took care of what we did with the ball, we'd put ourselves in the best position to get the result.

"Sure, there are things we need to improve upon, but with this group always wanting to make their best even better, I have no doubt we'll back on the training park ready to do that for game two.

"We'll keep fine-tuning our final-third actions.

"The game started really fast. We shaped the game and we dominated.

"It was a dominant performance and that's what we'll focus on - how we can continue to be dominant in game two.

"What is really pleasing is the variation, whether it is from open play or second-phase set-pieces.

"That makes it difficult for any opponent to try to nail down how to stop you.

"[Caroline Weir] leads from the front although she's in midfield and she's just a classy person and a classy player and, in situations that really matter, she stands up.

"That's what we needed tonight.

"We'll be back here to perform on Tuesday."

[On Erin Cuthbert's injury]: "You never want to see a player go down, but without any further information, I can't really comment. We'll just see how it pans out."

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Captain Rachael Boyle has signed a one-year contract extension to remain with Hibs for next season.

The 34-year-old former Scotland midfielder, who joined Hibs a decade ago, returned from several injury setbacks to make 23 appearances last season as Joelle Murray's side finished fourth in the SWPL.

"I'm absolutely delighted to extend my stay, I've had a lot of success, but I've also had to go through some tough times along the way, but with this club the positives always outweigh the negatives," said Boyle.

"After finishing last season strong, I am looking forward to getting back together with this group and building towards the aim of consistently competing at the top end of women's football in Scotland."

Head coach Murray added: "Rachael is a huge asset and has consistently proven that year after year, and again this season since returning from a lengthy injury setback, by leading the team to a strong SWPL finish."

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Former Scotland midfielder Joelle Murray insists experienced players such as Caroline Weir and Erin Cuthbert will be crucial in keeping Scotland focused on the task against Israel on Friday night.

The World Cup qualifier - and Tuesday's return meeting between the sides - is being played in Budapest because Uefa ruled no matches can be held in Israel for security reasons.

"It's not ideal, you lose that home advantage on one of the legs, but it's a situation outwith their control," said Murray on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"They need to focus on what they can control, approach the game as they would normally do, albeit a different and difficult situation being at a neutral venue but that's the same for both sets of players.

"It's not ideal but the preparation going into the camp will be as it always is and you've got players like Caroline and Erin, who will certainly be ensuring the players' full focus is on the performances as opposed to all the political stuff outwith it.

"You've got late call-ups Laura Berry and Mia McAulay coming in, two young players, and Caroline and Erin are role models for young players.

"They've got the quality in abundance throughout the squad to get the job done and finish the group really strongly. They'll get the points they need and have to look and see what happens in those other games."

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AC Milan captain Christy Grimshaw is ready to prove herself all over again in a Scotland shirt two years on from her last cap.

Midfielder Grimshaw admits she harboured doubts for her career during a 13-month lay-off with an ACL and MCL tear.

As she prepares for Scotland's World Cup qualifying double-header against Israel in Hungary, the 30-year-old said: "I am absolutely buzzing. I've made sure I'm ready for this moment because it's been a good few years and I've got to prove myself now.

"Anyone who's had a severe knee injury doubts themselves a little bit along the way, but six months in after feeling 100%, I was determined to get back into the squad at least once.

"I never gave up and here I am, thank God. The process was long and you have to stay mentally strong. I am here now and there's no looking back.

"It has changed my whole perspective. Being out for two years, I am so thankful to just be training every day and loving every minute of being back for the last six months.

"We are really excited, they're must-win, two games to keep ourselves on top of the group and score as many goals as possible.

"On our day, we can beat anyone, the World Cup is the pinnacle, and you see the buzz around the men. Everyone wants to be on that plane."

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Rangers and Scotland forward Lizzie Arnot is retiring from professional football at age 30 while the club have confirmed seven other player exits.

Former Hibs player Arnot joined Rangers in 2020 after a two-year spell with Manchester United and won a league title, two Scottish Cups and three SWPL Cups with the Ibrox side.

Arnot joins fellow Scotland international Mia McAulay - whose exit was already announced - and American midfielder Camille Lafaix on the departures list.

Right-back Li Mengwen and midfielder Quinty Sabajo are also leaving and the loans of goalkeeper Soffia Kelly, defender Jess Pegram and midfielder Kim Shin-Ji have ended.

Rangers say they are in "positive discussions with several other first-team players" over contract extensions.

"I would like to thank all of the players who are moving on from the club," said head coach Leanne Crichton.

"We are already under way in terms of planning for next season, where we will look to be challenging for every piece of silverware on offer."

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Scotland winger Mia McAulay has made the "hardest decision" of her career to depart Rangers.

The 19-year-old academy graduate has made more than 100 appearances for the club since her debut at age 16 in 2023.

Named SWPL young player of the year for her impressive breakthrough season in 2023-24, McAuley won successive SWPL Cup and Scottish Cup doubles with Rangers but missed out on silverware this term as Leanne Crichton's side lost both finals and finished second to league champions Hearts.

"This is the hardest decision I have ever had to make, to leave the club I love," said McAulay.

"Having spent my entire career here, coming through the academy, all the way to the first team has been a sense of pride for myself and my family.

"Everyone knows I have grown up supporting the club, and it was a dream to wear the famous blue jersey."

Head coach Crichton is "extremely disappointed" to see McAulay leave.

"I know this wasn't an easy decision for her, as everyone is aware how big a supporter of Rangers she is," Crichton added.

"Mia believes she is ready for a new challenge, and I thank her for all of her efforts and wish her every success in her next move."