Hapoel Be'er Sheva Drops to Europa League Group Stage with Potential High-Profile Opponents

Hapoel Be'er Sheva was defeated 5-2 by Sabah in Azerbaijan on Tuesday, ending their Champions League campaign and sending them to the Europa League group stage. The new Europa League format features 36 teams divided into four tiers, with Be'er Sheva placed in the lowest fourth tier due to their relatively low European ranking. The group stage draw will take place on Friday at 14:00, with the first round of matches scheduled for September 16-17 and the final round on January 28, 2027.

Top-tier teams confirmed for the Europa League group stage include Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiacos, and AZ Alkmaar. Other notable clubs waiting in the draw are Spanish sides Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad, French teams Marseille and Rennes, and German club Hoffenheim. Benfica is expected to join after their playoff match.

Israeli fans may be interested in the presence of Crystal Palace, featuring Israeli player Anan Khalaily, among the strong English teams in the competition. Additionally, Portuguese second-division side Torreense, which recently signed striker Karam Zoabi from Rio Ave, is in the fourth tier alongside Be'er Sheva. Another familiar opponent is Red Star Belgrade, eliminated by Be'er Sheva in the Champions League qualifiers and now facing Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League playoffs.

The Europa League format involves each team playing eight matches against two opponents from each tier, with four home and four away games. The top eight teams after eight rounds advance directly to the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a playoff to determine the remaining qualifiers. The final will be held on May 26, 2027, in Frankfurt.