Israel's Euro 2028 Hopes Tied to Nations League Performance and Seeding

The Israeli national football team, under coach Ran Ben Shimon, has identified qualification for Euro 2028 as its primary objective. The upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign, beginning Thursday, is seen as a crucial pathway to achieving this goal. Israel has been drawn into League B alongside Austria, Ireland, and Kosovo.

Qualification for the Euro 2028 playoffs via the Nations League is possible if Israel finishes first in its group. Even a second-place finish could offer a playoff chance, depending on other Euro qualifying results. Crucially, a top-two finish in the Nations League group will place Israel in the second-tier pot for the Euro 2028 qualifying draw, increasing the likelihood of a more favorable group. Finishing third or fourth would relegate Israel to the third-tier pot.

Should Israel win its Nations League group, it will be promoted to League A for the 2028/29 season, providing experience against higher-caliber opponents, a secondary objective for the team.

For Euro 2028 itself, 20 teams will qualify automatically: 12 group winners and 8 best runners-up. The remaining spots will be determined by playoffs, with the number of playoff berths influenced by the four co-host nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland) who may not have qualified directly. Between 2 and 4 playoff spots are expected, involving 8 to 12 teams competing in semi-finals and finals across two or three paths. Nations League participants can secure between 4 and 9 of these playoff places, with second-placed teams from qualifying also potentially entering the playoffs if they haven't already qualified directly. Teams finishing third in qualifying generally won't make the playoffs unless they also topped their Nations League group.

The schedule includes the Nations League from September to November 2026, the Euro 2028 qualifying draw in December 2026, qualifying group matches from March 2026 to November 2027, and the playoffs in March 2028.