Hapoel Be'er Sheva Draws Tough Group in Europa League, Faces Historic Challenge

Hapoel Be'er Sheva has been drawn into one of the most challenging groups in the Europa League, according to FMData's algorithm, which ranks their draw as the third hardest in the competition. The algorithm indicates that Be'er Sheva's group difficulty is 39% above average, surpassed only by Besiktas (64%) and OFI Crete (44%). Notably, the algorithm does not account for Be'er Sheva hosting their home matches outside Israel, in Bucharest, Romania, which further increases the challenge.

The algorithm predicts Be'er Sheva will finish the group stage with 7 points. To advance to the next phase (positions 9-24), the team will need at least 10 points, while qualifying directly from the top eight requires 13 points. The model estimates a 28.1% chance for Be'er Sheva to progress and projects them to finish 34th in a tightly contested league.

This marks the third consecutive season an Israeli team is competing in the Europa League under the new format. Previously, Maccabi Tel Aviv participated in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons, earning 6 and 1 points respectively, finishing last and 29th overall. Be'er Sheva's group opponents include Juventus (home), AZ Alkmaar (away), Dinamo Zagreb (home), Saint-Étienne (away), Celta Vigo (home), Bournemouth (away), OFI Crete (home), and Besiktas (away, possibly at a neutral venue).