While the international soccer focus is on the upcoming World Cup being held in North America this coming summer, UEFA drew the Nations League groups for the next competition that will begin in the fall as Israel found out who their opponents will be. Together with Head Coach Ran Ben Shimon’s side in League B, Group 3 Israel will face Austria, Kosovo and the Republic of Ireland.

The Nations League offers an alternative path to the next European Championships which will take place in 2028 should Israel fail to advance to the expanded tournament through they regular qualification process.

The objective for Israel in the Nations League is to finish first in the group, which could lead to a playoff spot for Euro qualification. Beyond that, success could positively affect Israel’s seeding in the Euro 2028 qualifying draw in December 2026. The further Israel advances, the more favorable its qualifying group could be.

Israel previously finished first in a group with Iceland, Albania and Russia, which was suspended, earning promotion to League A, where it faced Italy, France and Belgium. Nevertheless, Israel failed to qualify for the previous Euros via the playoffs after a 4–1 loss to Iceland.

Teams also compete for promotion and relegation between leagues. First-place teams in Leagues B, C and D are promoted automatically, while last-place teams in Leagues A and B are relegated. There will also be promotion/relegation playoffs: third-place teams in League A face League B runners-up and third-place teams in League B face League C runners-up.

A strong performance could improve Israel’s chances of qualifying for Euro 2028 where between four and nine teams may reach the Euro qualifying playoffs via the Nations League. The number of playoff spots will depend on the performances of the host nations, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland who are guaranteed playoff places if they fail to qualify through the regular qualifiers.

Ran Ben Shimon spoke about the draw, “A challenging draw with excellent teams. My focus is always on our own team and its high quality. I strongly believe in our ability to continue progressing toward our main goal, the 2028 Euros. The Nations League is one route to get there and we’ll do everything to maximize this path as well. In our third campaign together, my expectation of myself and the players is to excel at what we’re good at and improve where needed. Above all, we hope to return to hosting matches in Israel starting in September. That’s a tremendous advantage for us and I wholeheartedly believe that with our wonderful and supportive crowd, in our one and only true home, we can fulfill the dream of Euro 2028.”

Israel Football Association Chairman Shino Zoaretz added, “There are no easy draws at these levels. It may be less glamorous than League A, but it’s not necessarily easier. We have set Euro 2028 qualification as the clear objective and I don’t mind whether it comes via the Nations League or the regular qualifiers, as long as we get there. We’ll continue to provide the best possible conditions for the team. One key factor is returning to host matches in Israel. I’ll keep working tirelessly to make that happen as soon as possible.”

Captain Eli Dasa shared his thoughts, “Not an easy draw, but we fear no one. It’s always an honor to wear the national team jersey. We’ll respect every opponent, stay humble and work hard. Euro 2028 is an achievable goal. We’ll prepare step by step, realistic yet ambitious and try to lead the team there with composure, discipline and talent. Our biggest hope is to return to hosting in Israel after nearly three years. We miss our fans dearly.”

Fiorentina’s star winger Manor Solomon also chimed in, “Every Nations League match is crucial, there are only six games and this is our chance to show character. We respect every opponent but come without fear. Euro 2028 is our big goal, a national dream to qualify for the European Championship for the first time. Every training session and match matters on the road there. We all hope to host games in Israel again and receive the support we’ve missed so much.”

As for the three opponents, Austria is a national team who has plenty of with the blue-and-white. Beyond the memorable 5-0 defeat, one of Israel’s greatest matches in recent years was the 5-2 victory at Sammy Ofer Stadium which restored hope for the rest of the campaign, that ultimately ended in disappointment with a last-minute concession against Scotland.

Austria’s biggest star is David Alaba of Real Madrid, but there are numerous Bundesliga players, along with Marko Arnautović of Red Star Belgrade who will present a serious challenge under manager Ralf Rangnick. Austria also qualified for the upcoming World Cup after an excellent campaign in a group that included Romania and Bosnia.

Kosovo has faced Israel several times in the past, including in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, where the teams drew 1-1 in Israel while in the return match, Kosovo won 1-0. Kosovo is a steadily improving team; in the last Euro qualifiers, Kosovo finished with 11 points compared to Israel’s 15. The young nation, made up largely of players born in the former Yugoslavia, includes several players from top European leagues, led by Edon Zhegrova, who recently moved to Juventus. In addition, Amir Rrahmani plays for Napoli, Mërgim Vojvoda for Como and vice-captain Vedat Muriqi a Mallorca striker and the national team’s all-time top scorer, adds firepower.

The last time Israel faced Ireland was in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, when both matches ended in draws under Avraham Grant. However, the sides also met in the U21 Euro playoffs, which ended in a penalty shootout, Daniel Peretz saved three penalties and even scored one himself. The decisive penalty at Bloomfield was scored by Osher Davida and it’s quite possible that many players from both sides will feature in the upcoming clashes after making the step up to the senior teams.