Israel Football Team Eyes Euro 2028 Berth Via Nations League Strategy

The Israeli national football team has set its sights on qualifying for the Euro 2028 championship, a primary objective under coach Ran Ben Shimon. The upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign, commencing Thursday, is seen as a crucial pathway to achieving this goal.

Israel has been drawn into League B alongside Austria, Ireland, and Kosovo. The team can secure a playoff spot for the Euros by finishing first in their group, or potentially second depending on other qualifying results. This Nations League performance also impacts seeding for the Euro 2028 qualifiers: a top-two finish will place Israel in the second-tier pot, while a third or fourth-place finish will relegate them to the third-tier pot, potentially leading to a more challenging qualification group.

Finishing first in League B would also promote Israel to League A for the 2028/29 Nations League season, offering matches against higher-caliber opponents, which is considered a secondary objective.

Qualification for Euro 2028 involves 20 teams automatically qualifying directly from the main qualifiers (12 group winners and 8 best runners-up). The remaining spots, including those for co-hosts England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland, will be determined by playoffs. Between 2 and 4 playoff spots are allocated, with the exact number depending on how many co-hosts qualify directly. The playoff structure will involve 8 to 12 teams competing in one-legged semi-finals and finals across two or three paths, with 4 to 9 of these spots potentially coming from the Nations League. Teams finishing third in their Euro qualifiers will not enter the playoffs unless they also won their Nations League group.

The timeline includes the Nations League from September to November 2026, the Euro qualifier draw in December 2026, the main Euro qualifiers from March 2026 to November 2027, and the Euro playoffs in March 2028.