Israel Kicks Off Nations League Campaign With Euro 2028 Hopes

The Israeli national football team begins its fifth UEFA Nations League campaign on Thursday against Austria, with significantly more at stake than just promotion or relegation. The competition, designed to replace less competitive friendly matches with meaningful games between similarly ranked nations, divides European teams into four tiers: A, B, C, and D. Israel competes in Tier B, where finishing first guarantees automatic promotion to Tier A, while second-place teams face a playoff against third-place finishers from Tier A for promotion. Last place in Tier B results in automatic relegation to Tier C, with third-place teams entering a playoff for survival.

The Nations League also serves as a potential pathway to the UEFA European Championship (Euro). For Euro 2028, teams will qualify through standard qualifiers, with group winners and the best-performing runners-up advancing directly. Playoff spots will be allocated to teams based on their Nations League rankings, offering a second chance for qualification. While winning the Nations League group doesn't guarantee a playoff spot, it significantly improves a team's chances.

Israel has participated in all four previous Nations League editions, accumulating seven wins, five draws, and eight losses in 20 matches. The team has also reached the Euro playoff semi-finals twice, thanks to its Nations League performance, but was eliminated both times. In the last campaign, Israel competed in Tier A against strong opponents like France, Italy, and Belgium, finishing last in its group despite notable results such as a 0-0 draw in Paris and a 1-0 win over Belgium.

Due to the ongoing conflict, several of Israel's "home" games in the previous campaign were played in Hungary. Historically, Israel has performed better in "home" matches than away, though recent away wins against Slovakia and Albania were notable. Key players like Manor Solomon, Dor Peretz, and Moanes Dabour have scored for Israel in the competition. Goalkeeper Daniel Peretz has kept clean sheets in two matches.

Israel's opponents in the current campaign are Austria, Ireland, and Kosovo. Historically, matches against Austria have been high-scoring, with both teams having secured wins. The encounters with Ireland and Kosovo have also been competitive, with draws and narrow losses for Israel.