Hapoel Be'er Sheva Faces Juventus, Milan Among Possible Europa League Group Stage Opponents

Hapoel Be'er Sheva's European campaign ended in disappointment on Tuesday in Baku, Azerbaijan, as they lost 4-2 after extra time to Sabah FK, conceding a decisive goal just 18 seconds before stoppage time ended. This defeat knocked them out of the UEFA Champions League playoffs, but the Israeli club will continue in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

Be'er Sheva had started their European journey in the second qualifying round of the Champions League, advancing past Iceland's Vikingur and Serbia's Red Star Belgrade before falling to Sabah. Now, they will compete in the Europa League, where 36 teams are divided into four pots and each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents, with four home and four away games. The group stage draw is scheduled for Friday at 14:00, revealing Be'er Sheva's eight opponents for matches running from September 16-17, 2026, through January 28, 2027.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva will be placed in the fourth and lowest pot. Potential opponents from the top pot include European heavyweights Juventus, AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Marseille, and Real Sociedad. The second pot features teams like Salzburg, Anderlecht, Rennes, and Ferencváros, while the third pot includes Premier League clubs Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, and Sunderland, as well as Celta Vigo and Hoffenheim. The fourth pot, from which Be'er Sheva will draw two opponents, also includes clubs such as Besiktas, NEC Nijmegen, and others.

This marks a significant continuation of Be'er Sheva's European journey despite the setback in the Champions League playoffs. The club will now prepare for the Europa League group stage, aiming to compete against some of Europe's notable teams and advance further in continental competition.