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Hapoel Tel Aviv gets Ludogorets, Beitar Jerusalem faces AEK Larnaca in Conference League draw

The Zioneer Intelligence Desk

Primary source Internal intake · 2 reviewed intake signals · Desk window 15:33

TL;DR

Israeli clubs learned their second-round opponents in the UEFA Conference League qualifying, according to Ben Goldfriend on N12. Hapoel Tel Aviv was drawn against Bulgarian side Ludogorets, widely seen as the toughest available pairing. Beitar Jerusalem will face Cyprus's AEK Larnaca. The first legs are scheduled for July 23, with the return legs a week later.

01 · THE DISPATCH

The European football draw for the UEFA Conference League's second qualifying round was held on Wednesday, with the two Israeli participants learning their paths. Ben Goldfriend reported on N12 that Hapoel Tel Aviv drew Bulgarian powerhouse Ludogorets Razgrad — described as the most challenging opponent among the seeded clubs. Beitar Jerusalem will face Cypriot side AEK Larnaca. The first legs will be played on July 23, 2026, with the return fixtures scheduled a week later. Conference League qualifying is single-elimination round-trip ties until the group stage. The draw continues a busy European summer for Israeli clubs; as The Zioneer reported earlier on Wednesday, Hapoel Be'er Sheva drew the winner of Gior-Vikingur in Champions League qualifying, and cup holder Maccabi Tel Aviv faces the winner of Sheriff Tiraspol-Aluminij in the Europa League.

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This dispatch is published under The Zioneer Intelligence Desk. Raw intake channels remain internal provenance; an external outlet or channel is named only when it materially helps readers evaluate a specific claim.