Maccabi Tel Aviv has been drawn to face Pafos FC of Cyprus in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, announced Wednesday during the official draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
The Israeli club will have to travel for the first leg scheduled for July 22 or 23 in Cyprus. However, due to UEFA’s ongoing safety mandates, the second leg cannot be held in Israel. Maccabi is now tasked with selecting a neutral venue abroad, with possibilities including Cyprus or a return to Budapest, Hungary—where they hosted a Champions League match during the 2023/24 campaign.
This UEFA ruling has been in place since October 2023, following escalated conflict in the region sparked by the Hamas attacks. Since then, Israeli clubs and national teams have been required to relocate their international fixtures to neutral countries for safety reasons.
Elsewhere in the draw, Ukraine’s Dynamo Kyiv will face either Zalgiris of Lithuania or Hamrun Spartans of Malta, pending the outcome of their first-round matchup. Dynamo has hosted previous European qualifiers in Poland, specifically in Lublin, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, who are preparing for their Club World Cup opener against Pachuca of Mexico later today in Cincinnati, were paired with Norwegian club SK Brann. Their first-leg clash will mark Salzburg’s return to competitive football following their U.S. pre-season tour.
Scottish runners-up Rangers have been drawn to host Panathinaikos of Greece in the opening leg, while Viktoria Plzen of the Czech Republic will face Servette from Switzerland.
Three teams from last season’s expanded 36-team Champions League group stage returned in this round: Red Star Belgrade, Salzburg, and Slovan Bratislava. Of the trio, Red Star had the best finish last season in 29th place. The 1991 European champions will begin their new campaign on the road against either Vikingur (Faeroe Islands) or Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar).
Meanwhile, Slovan Bratislava will host the first leg against either Virtus of San Marino or Zrinjski Mostar from Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Losing clubs in this stage will be transferred to the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round, offering another path into European competition.
The first qualifying round of the Champions League is scheduled from July 8 to July 16, with more prominent European clubs—such as Benfica, Celtic, Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, and Feyenoord—set to enter in the third round during August.
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