Hearts shocked many—perhaps even themselves—by clinching their first Scottish Women’s Premier League title.
Unlike the men’s side, they prevailed on the final day, but, like their Premiership counterparts, they then lost the head coach who had led them there.
Eva Olid had already chosen to step down, feeling she lacked the financial backing she deserved, and is now set to be appointed Manchester United manager.
Her successor, Andy Thomson—formerly assistant at title rivals Rangers—heads into the new campaign without major additions to his squad.
Defender Ebonie Locke arrives on a short-term loan from Birmingham City, while Northern Ireland midfielder Joely Andrews has departed for city rivals Hibernian.
Hearts’ maiden European journey takes them to Denmark, where they open on Wednesday against a Gintra team well-versed in these qualifiers.
Gintra have won their domestic title every year since 2005, so it’s little surprise they’ve previously faced Scottish opponents; two seasons ago, they lost 2-0 to Celtic in the final of a mini-tournament they hosted in Lithuania.
While Hearts have yet to begin their league season, Gintra are 12 matches in and lead the 2026 Moteru A Lyga, having won their last three.
Even so, the Lithuanians have never progressed from one of these mini-tournaments; after beating Romania’s Farul Constanța in last year’s semi-final, they fell to Ukraine’s Vorskla Poltava in the final.
If Hearts win, they will face either hosts HB Koge or Latvia’s Riga in Saturday’s final.
Riga are also mid-season and have already ousted two British sides in Champions League qualifying, brushing aside Glentoran 4-1 in the first-round semi-final and repeating the score in the final against Wrexham.
Domestically, they are tracking toward a third straight title, three points behind RFS but with three games in hand.
Meanwhile, Koge—group-stage participants in 2021-22—are likely favourites to progress with a squad strengthened by American investment and players.
Forward Rikke Madsen, midfielder Mille Gejl, and defender Simone Boye are seasoned Denmark internationals; Nadia Nadim previously featured for Manchester City, while fellow striker Kyra Carusa represents the Republic of Ireland.