Mixed results for Israeli clubs in European soccer qualifying

By the Editorial Team · Monday, August 10, 2026

Hapoel Tel Aviv won 2-0 against Katowice while Beitar Jerusalem lost 2-1 to Austria Wien and Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a 3-0 defeat to CSKA Sofia in their respective European qualifier matches. These mixed results mean Hapoel holds a solid advantage going into the next round, Beitar still has a chance to overturn the deficit, and Maccabi faces a tough task to avoid dropping into the Conference League playoff.

Israeli football clubs experienced mixed outcomes in European qualifying matches over the weekend as they competed for advancement in the UEFA Conference League and Europa League tournaments.

Hapoel Tel Aviv secured a 2-0 victory against Polish side Katowice in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League third-round qualifier, played in Miskolc, Hungary. Goals from Stav Turiel and Roi Alkukin gave Hapoel a solid advantage ahead of the return leg. The home side took the lead in the 18th minute through Turiel, who was assisted by Omri Altman, and Alkukin doubled the lead later in the first half with a chipped finish following a turnover won by Emmanuel Boateng. Despite several opportunities to extend their lead in the second half, Hapoel settled for a two-goal margin. Manager Elyaniv Barda described the performance as professional and praised the traveling fans who created a strong home atmosphere. If Hapoel advances past Katowice, they will face Atalanta of Italy’s Serie A in the playoff round for a place in the group stage.

Beitar Jerusalem, competing in Romania, suffered a 2-1 defeat to Austria Wien in their own Conference League third-round qualifier. Beitar opened the scoring in the 20th minute through Noam Muche’s long-range strike, but Austria equalized before halftime when Vasilije Markovic capitalized on a defensive error. The decisive goal came in the 70th minute from Sanel Sajlic. Despite creating chances, Beitar was unable to find an equalizer, with goalkeeper Miguel Silva making several key saves. Coach Almog Cohen expressed disappointment with the result but emphasized that the tie remained open ahead of the second leg in Vienna. The winner will advance to the playoffs against Braga or Dinamo Minsk.

Maccabi Tel Aviv was heavily defeated 3-0 by CSKA Sofia in the first leg of their Europa League third-round qualifier in Batumi, Georgia. CSKA opened the scoring early with a goal from Maks Edong, followed by a volley from Leandro Godoy just before halftime. Joel Zwarts added a late third to seal the win. Maccabi coach Kenny Miller acknowledged the difficulty of the challenge, citing lapses in possession and defensive organization as factors in the loss. Maccabi must overturn the deficit in the return leg in Bulgaria to reach the playoff round, where they would face OFI Crete. Failing that, they will drop into the Conference League playoff round.

Additionally, Hapoel Beersheba holds a 1-0 lead against Red Star Belgrade heading into the second leg of their Champions League third qualifying round on Wednesday. Should Beersheba progress, they will face the winner of the Sabah versus Aarhus tie, with the chance to enter the Champions League group stage or, if defeated later, move into the Europa League group phase.

These results highlight the varied fortunes of Israeli clubs in European competitions, reflecting strong performances in some matches but also challenges as they pursue advancement to the group stages.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.