Hapoel Tel Aviv Drawn Against Bulgarian Power Ludogorets in Conference League Qualifiers
Hapoel Tel Aviv was drawn on Wednesday against Ludogorets in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, a matchup widely seen as the toughest possible draw on paper for the Israeli club. Hapoel, back in Europe after a 10-year absence, will need to survive three rounds, the second qualifying round, the third qualifying round and the playoff, to reach the league stage.
The first leg is set for July 23, and the playoff round begins on August 20. Because Hapoel has not taken part in European competitions in recent years, it entered the draw with the lowest coefficient among Israeli teams, 5.5 points, which left it unseeded. If it eliminates seeded Ludogorets, Hapoel will inherit the Bulgarian club’s ranking points.
Ludogorets, founded in 1945 and based in Razgrad, plays home matches at Huvepharma Arena, which holds about 12,000 spectators. It has been the dominant force in Bulgarian football for the past 15 years, winning 14 straight league titles from the 2011/12 season onward. That streak ended in the 2025/26 season, when Levski Sofia finished ahead of it to claim the championship.
Even after losing its domestic crown, Ludogorets remains one of the most experienced clubs in Eastern Europe in continental play, with many appearances in the group stages of the Champions League and Europa League. Israeli defender Idan Nachmias currently plays for the club and made 22 league appearances this season, starting 18 times and scoring once. Former Ludogorets players include Dan Biton, Taleb Tawatha, Danny Gruper and Mavis Chibota.
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