Scotland set October date for Euro 2020 play-off

The Scotland national team will return to action in September before playing their Euro 2020 play-off matches in October and November.

UEFA has announced the return of its international and club competitions as football starts to emerge from its Coronavirus shutdown.

A UEFA Executive Committee meeting confirmed Scotland will play Nations League ties against Israel and the Czech Republic in September, then take on Israel again on October 8 in the Euro 2020 qualifying play-off match.

Victory in that game would then see Steve Clarke’s team take on either Serbia or Norway on November 12 for a place at their first major tournament since 1998.

Meanwhile Rangers have learned they will face Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their Europa League last 16 match on August 5 or 6. The venue is to be confirmed but likely to be the home of the Bundesliga side.

Leverkusen hold a 3-1 lead from the first leg, which took place at Ibrox in March.

The Europa League will be concluded in a knock-out tournament between the final eight sides, held across the German cities of Cologne, Duisberg, Dusseldorf and Gelsenkirchen between August 10 and 21

The Champions League final eight will take place in the same format in Lisbon between August 12 and 23.

Glasgow City will also participate in a knock-out style tournament to settle the Women’s Champions League.

The last eight remaining teams will play each other from August 21 to 30 in the Spanish cities of Bilbao and San Sebastian.

In all matches to conclude the 2019/20 season teams will be allowed to make five substitutions instead of the normal three.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, said: “I am delighted that we are able to resume almost all of our competitions.

“I am confident that we will not have to endure the fans’ absence for long and that they will be allowed into stadiums sooner rather than later.”