Hapoel Tel Aviv Tops Israeli Clubs in European Match Attendance Despite Declines

The first round of the third qualifying stage of European football concluded on Thursday, featuring four Israeli clubs playing home matches abroad. Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Beitar Jerusalem, and Hapoel Tel Aviv all hosted matches in foreign venues ahead of the return legs. Attendance figures varied significantly among the teams.

Maccabi Tel Aviv played in Batumi, Georgia, but due to a UEFA sanction, their match against CSKA Sofia was held without fans, a sharp drop from the previous home game which drew 1,014 supporters. Meanwhile, Hapoel Be'er Sheva hosted Red Star Belgrade in Szombathely, Hungary, and saw attendance more than double from 397 to 882 fans.

Beitar Jerusalem, hosting Austria Vienna in Ploiești, Romania, experienced a steep decline in attendance, dropping from 2,651 fans in the previous home game to just 825. Hapoel Tel Aviv, playing Katowice in Miskolc, Hungary, also saw a decrease, with 3,006 fans attending compared to nearly 4,000 previously.

Among the Israeli clubs, Hapoel Tel Aviv led in attendance despite the decline, followed by Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Be'er Sheva. Maccabi Tel Aviv's attendance was zero due to the UEFA punishment. The attendance tracking will continue as the teams progress in the competition.