Israeli Football Clubs Achieve Major Success in 2026 European Qualifiers

The summer of 2026 has been a remarkable period for Israeli football, with several clubs achieving significant milestones in European competition qualifiers. Hapoel Be'er Sheva led the way by reaching the playoff round of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. Alongside them, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv advanced to the playoff stage of the UEFA Conference League, while Beitar Jerusalem overcame AEK Larnaca before being eliminated on penalties by Austria Vienna. At least one Israeli team has secured a spot in the group stages, ensuring a lengthy European campaign for Israeli clubs this season.

A notable statistic highlights the exceptional nature of this summer for Israeli teams. According to the Twitter account "Football Meets Data," two of the three highest-ranked European clubs eliminated from the qualifiers this season, based on UEFA rankings, lost to Israeli teams. Hapoel Tel Aviv ousted Ludogorets Razgrad, the top-ranked club eliminated, with a 2-0 home win in Miskolc and a 2-2 draw in Bulgaria. Similarly, Beitar Jerusalem defeated AEK Larnaca, ranked third, with a 1-0 away victory in Cyprus and a penalty shootout win in the return leg.

These results demonstrate that Israeli clubs have overcome formidable opponents early in the qualifiers, marking this summer as an unusually successful and impressive period for Israeli football on the European stage.