Hapoel Tel Aviv Drawn Against Bulgarian Power Ludogorets in Conference League Qualifying

Hapoel Tel Aviv was drawn on Wednesday against Ludogorets in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, receiving what was described as the toughest possible draw on paper. The Israeli club is returning to European competition after a 10-year absence, and will need to survive three rounds, the second qualifying round, the third qualifying round and the playoff, to reach the league phase.

The first match is scheduled for July 23, and the playoff round is set to begin on August 20. Because Hapoel has not played in European competitions in recent years, it received the lowest coefficient among Israeli teams, 5.5 points, which left it unseeded in the draw. If it eliminates the seeded Ludogorets, it will inherit the Bulgarian club’s ranking points.

Ludogorets, founded in 1945, plays its home matches at Huvepharma Arena in Razgrad, a stadium with about 12,000 seats. The club has been the dominant force in Bulgarian football for the last 15 years, winning 14 straight league titles from the 2011/12 season onward before its streak ended in the 2025/26 season.

Levski Sofia finished ahead of Ludogorets and won the championship. Even so, Ludogorets remains one of the most experienced clubs in Eastern European competitions, with many appearances in the Champions League and Europa League group stages over the years. Israeli defender Idan Nachmias currently plays for Ludogorets, making 22 league appearances this season, starting 18 of them and scoring once. Former players at the club also include Dan Biton, Taleb Tawatha, Danny Gruper and Mavis Chibota.