The final line-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is still not completely known, with UEFA playoffs scheduled in March to decide the last four nations from the confederation who will qualify for the tournament taking place in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Unfortunately, Israel will not be taking part, as the national side could only finish third behind Norway and Italy in its group. But that does not mean that there is nothing of interest for Israeli football fans in 2026.
Domestic club sides continue to represent the country in the continental competitions, and the national team will also be involved in a series of friendlies as well as a Nations League campaign that kicks off later in the year. A good sportsbook review will tell you about the bookmakers you should choose to back your team – and the signs look good for all aspects of Israeli football.
In this article, we will take a look at what to expect from the national team in 2026, as well as the potential for club sides to do well. We will also identify some of the top players making their way in world football right now.
Israel National Team
The Skyblue and Whites found themselves in a tough qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup, but pushed the top teams, Norway and Italy, all the way before finally finishing in third place. The incredible 4-5 loss to Italy was pivotal, but it did show that the national side is now a real contender when it comes to qualifying for major international tournaments.
There is little in the way of firm dates for fixtures in 2026 at the moment. There is a friendly scheduled for the end of March against Georgia, which will be a good test considering how much that nation has improved in recent years. The 2026-27 Nations League campaign will begin in September, with Israel competing in League B again after playing at the top tier last time. The identities of the opponents will be revealed once the draw takes place in February.
Israel Women
Where the men’s national team’s fixture list is something of a blank slate at the current time, there is more to take from what looks like being an interesting year in women’s football. The women’s team has only been playing since 1997 but was promoted to League B of the Nations League competition last year, and is currently enjoying an extended unbeaten streak.
Most of the squad play for clubs in Israel, but there are some players representing clubs in Germany, the US, and Belgium. The next test for the women will be attempting to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The team face some stern challenges in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Scotland, but will be hoping to make further improvement and inch closer to qualifying for a major international tournament for the first time ever.
Domestic Clubs
The current season is still ongoing, of course, so we won’t know which teams will qualify for the 2026-27 European competitions. But there is still Israeli interest in this season’s editions. Both Maccabi Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem exited the Conference League in the qualifying rounds, while Hapoel Be’er Sheva lost both their ties in the Europa League and then the Conference League.
Last season’s champions, Maccabi Tel Aviv, dropped down from the Champions League after losing to Pafos, but were successful in beating Hamrun Spartans and then Dynamo Kyiv in a playoff to progress to the league phase of the Europa League. In what has been a controversy-filled campaign, Maccabi started off with a draw but has struggled to compete against a very good selection of European clubs. Experience is vital, however, and hopefully, there will be an improvement next season.
Israeli Stars on Global Stage
Although many of the Israeli national team play for the best domestic clubs, there are also a handful of players performing on the global stage. As well as some internationals in the Netherlands, the most well-known outside of Israel are probably Anan Khalaili, Liel Abada, Mohammad Abu Fani, and Manor Solomon.
Khalili is currently playing for Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian Pro League. He moved there from Maccabi Haifa in 2024 and has played a major role in the team’s recent success, in which they have won the title and played at the highest level of European football. After spending three seasons at Celtic in Scotland, Liel Abada signed for Charlotte of Major League Soccer in the US. He is a regular who helped the club make the playoffs for the third year in a row last season.
Mohammad Abu Fani scored against both Norway and Estonia in World Cup qualifying last year and continues to feature regularly for Hungarian side Ferencvaros. He won the league title in 2025 and has continued to make a difference as the club progresses in the Europa League this season. The standout player of Israeli football at the current time is probably Manor Solomon, however.
Solomon is the current top goal scorer in the national side, and has played in Ukraine, England, and Spain, before most recently signing a loan deal with Serie A club Fiorentina. He started this season on loan from EPL club Tottenham Hotspur at Villareal in Spain, before making the switch to Italy in January. He has already become a regular in a team that is beginning to improve after a poor start, and Solomon will be hoping that he can make a big enough impression to be recalled to Spurs or transfer to another top European club soon.
This article was written in collaboration with James Evans