“Dynamo” Kyiv may face “Maccabi” Tel Aviv: why the Europa League draw has become alarming for Kyiv and important for Israel

Kyiv’s “Dynamo” faces a challenging European scenario: already in the second qualifying round of the Europa League 2026/27, the Ukrainian club may encounter one of the strong opponents, including Israel’s “Maccabi” Tel Aviv.

For the Israeli audience, this story is interesting not only in sports terms. A potential pair “Dynamo” Kyiv — “Maccabi” Tel Aviv immediately takes the match beyond the usual qualification: it is about the intersection of Ukrainian and Israeli football, the European status of the clubs, and the attention of the diaspora living between two sports and cultural spaces.

Why “Dynamo” found itself in a difficult position

The main problem for Kyiv residents is the status before the draw. “Dynamo” will start its path in the Europa League from the first qualifying round, where the club will be among the seeded teams. But if the team advances further, its coefficient is already insufficient to maintain a comfortable position in the second round.

That is why June 17 will be an important date for the Kyiv club. On this day, the draw for the second qualifying round of the Europa League is scheduled, and the stage itself is planned for July 23 and 30, 2026. That is, the name of a possible opponent “Dynamo” will know even before it fully plays the first stage.

Formally, Kyiv residents will be represented in the draw as the winner of the first-round pair. But by the logic of seeding, this does not save the situation: if “Dynamo” passes Q1, in the second round it, according to current layouts, falls into the unseeded.

Who might Kyiv face

The list of potential opponents looks tough even for a club with extensive European experience. Among the options are “Benfica”, “Ferencvaros”, “Viktoria” Plzen, “Midtjylland”, PAOK, “Qarabag”, “Anderlecht”, “Maccabi” Tel Aviv, and “Pafos”.

On paper, this is not just a list of clubs. These are teams with serious European coefficients, qualification experience, stable tournament practice, and a more favorable position before the draw.

For “Dynamo”, such a scenario means that already in July there may be no time to swing. The very first serious round can turn into a match of late qualification level, where a mistake in one half or one failure away can cost the entire European route.

What the option with “Maccabi” Tel Aviv means

For Israel, the most notable option remains “Maccabi” Tel Aviv. If the draw indeed brings the Israeli club together with Kyiv’s “Dynamo”, it will be one of the most discussed pairs of the round for the Russian-speaking, Ukrainian, and Israeli sports audience.

“Maccabi” is not a random participant in such a list. The club has a high coefficient, stable European experience, and a strong internal base. For “Dynamo”, it would not be a passing opponent, but a full-fledged test at an early stage of the season.

There is also a human factor. In Israel, there is a large community of immigrants from Ukraine, there are fans of the Kyiv club, there is a Ukrainian community in Israel, which after 2022 has become even more noticeable in the public and cultural life of the country. Therefore, a possible match between “Dynamo” and “Maccabi” would almost inevitably receive an additional emotional background.

NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers such sports stories not only as a match calendar but as part of a broader connection between Israel and Ukraine. In such cases, football becomes a convenient language through which migration, memory, identity, and attention to events on both sides of the Mediterranean are visible.

Where the matches might take place

The exact locations of possible matches will become clear only after the draw and confirmation of the pair. According to the calendar, the second qualifying round should take place in two matches — July 23 and 30, 2026.

If the opponent is “Maccabi” Tel Aviv, one match should be home for the Israeli club, the second — nominally home for “Dynamo”. But due to the war in Ukraine, the Kyiv club has been holding European home matches outside the country in recent years, so the actual city of the match depends on the club’s decision, UEFA, logistics, and security requirements.

For Israeli fans, this is an important detail. A possible match in Israel could attract not only “Maccabi” fans but also Ukrainians, repatriates from Ukraine, the Russian-speaking audience, and those who usually do not follow the early stages of European competitions.

Why this scenario is called the worst

For “Dynamo”, the problem is not in one specific opponent. The danger is in the basket itself.

When a club does not fall into the seeded, it loses the opportunity to avoid the highest-rated teams of the round. As a result, instead of a relatively convenient start in qualification, Kyiv may immediately get a club of the level of “Benfica”, PAOK, “Anderlecht”, or “Maccabi” Tel Aviv.

Previously, “Dynamo” had a more optimistic scenario associated with possible changes in the grid and seeding. But after the final formation of the layout, this option has practically disappeared. Now Kyiv residents will have to prepare not for a convenient draw, but for the most intense and risky July segment.

What will happen next

The next key date is June 17, 2026. It is then that it will become clear who might await “Dynamo” in the second qualifying round of the Europa League if Kyiv residents pass the starting barrier.

For Israel, the intrigue is obvious: will “Maccabi” Tel Aviv meet the Ukrainian club and will it become one of the most notable football stories of the summer for the Israeli and Ukrainian audience.

For now, the answer is one: the match “Dynamo” Kyiv — “Maccabi” Tel Aviv is possible, but not guaranteed. Everything will be decided by the draw. However, it is already clear that for the Kyiv club, the European season may not begin with a gradual entry into the tournament, but with a real test of strength.