Israeli Clubs Face Tough Odds Advancing in European Football Qualifiers

Israeli football clubs struggled in the first leg of the third qualifying round of European competitions, complicating their chances to advance. Maccabi Tel Aviv lost 3-0 to CSKA Sofia, leaving them with only a 3% chance to reach the next Europa League stage and a 39% chance to enter the Conference League group stage. The second leg forecast gives Maccabi a 36% chance to win, with an expected 2-1 victory needed to advance.

Beitar Jerusalem fell 2-1 to Austria Vienna, with a 25% chance to progress and just 5% to reach the Conference League group stage. The return leg is predicted to end in a 1-1 draw, with Beitar having a 29% chance to win.

Hapoel Tel Aviv won their first leg 2-1 but face a challenging second leg against Katowice, with only an 8% chance to reach the Conference League group stage despite an 81% chance to advance to the next round. The forecast favors Katowice winning 2-1 in the return leg.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva secured a 1-0 first-leg win and has a 41% chance to advance, with a 14% chance to reach the Champions League group stage. The second leg is expected to be a 1-0 loss to Red Star Belgrade, potentially decided by penalties.

These projections, provided by Football Meets Data and reported by Sport 5 on August 7, 2026, highlight the difficult path Israeli teams face in European competitions this season.