Red Star Belgrade Faces Tough Road Against Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Champions League Qualifiers

The third qualifying round draw for the UEFA Champions League took place on July 20, 2026, setting up a potential clash between Hapoel Be'er Sheva from Israel and Red Star Belgrade from Serbia. Hapoel Be'er Sheva must first overcome Icelandic club Vikingur to face Red Star in the next stage. Serbian media expressed strong reservations about the draw, with Mundo Serbia calling it "the toughest pairing" and Korir Sport labeling it "the worst possible outcome" for Red Star in this round. Local commentator Mozart stated that Hapoel Be'er Sheva is "undoubtedly one of the least desirable opponents." Red Star Belgrade, the Serbian champions, features players such as Mohamed Abu Fani, Louizos Louizo, who recently transferred from Hapoel Tel Aviv, and 37-year-old Austrian Marko Arnaertovic. The club has a history of four previous Champions League campaigns, last participating two years ago in the initial group stage format. The tie promises a challenging path for both teams as they vie for a spot in the prestigious group stage of Europe's top club competition.