Europa League Qualifiers: Second Round First-Leg Fixtures to Watch
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Sheriff Tiraspol vs Maccabi Tel Aviv: Israeli giants looking to go one better this time
- Date/Time: 23 July 2026, 18:00 (BST)
- Venue: Sheriff Arena, Tiraspol, Moldova.
Sheriff Tiraspol begin their second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League with a first-leg clash against Israel's powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv. The Moldovan outfit are not new to the European stage, having reached the Europa League group/league phase on six occasions.
See Sheriff Tiraspol's record in the competition proper:
- Matches played: 38
- Wins: 8
- Draws: 11
- Losses: 19
However, Zholto-Chornyye failed to qualify for the previous edition after a run of three consecutive qualifications. This season, the objective is simple: to return to the main stage of European competition and prove they remain one of Moldova’s most consistent forces on the continent. To reach this stage, they beat Slovenia's Aluminij 1-0 on aggregate.
Standing in their way in this first-leg clash is Maccabi Tel Aviv, whose performance in the previous edition left much to be desired. It was a campaign to forget for the Israeli giants, finishing at the bottom of the table with a point to their name.
The Yellows have a point to prove in this season's campaign, but first they need to navigate the qualifying rounds to reach the league phase. This may be their first meeting against Sheriff Tiraspol, but they've crossed paths with Moldovan opposition twice and boast a 100% record.
Fresh off winning the Israel Super Cup, beating Hapoel Beer-Sheva 3-1 this past Thursday, they'll hope to use this as a driving force to record a positive outcome.
Besiktas vs Midtjylland: The Danish outfit have struggled against Turkish teams
- Date/Time: 23 July 2026, 19:00 (BST)
- Venue: Tupras Stadium, Istanbul, Turkiye.
Besiktas have been competing on the European stage regularly, but there's still that one elusive breakthrough moment that has continued to escape the Turkish giants, and that's reaching the final of the UEFA Europa League.
The Black Eagles have, however, made deep runs such as reaching the quarter-finals on two occasions, but the last time they managed to achieve this feat, you'll have to look back nine years.
Their last appearance was in the 2024-25 edition, where they concluded the league phase in 28th place with nine points and were one point shy of securing the knockout phase playoff spot.
Regarding their absence in the previous season, they failed to progress beyond the second qualifying round, suffering a 6-2 aggregate defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Midtjylland, meanwhile, have made ten appearances in the UEFA Europa League proper and are certainly not one of those teams to be underestimated.
Hedens Drenge have also reached the knockout stages on two successive occasions, with their most recent being in the previous edition. They made it all the way to the Round of 16 but were eliminated by Nottingham Forest.
That level of success has raised expectations, with the club now aiming to build on their recent European experiences and go even further. However, their record against teams from Turkey has been unsatisfactory, with their last three meetings failing to produce any wins.
St. Gallen vs Benfica: The Eagles are the superior opponent
- Date/Time: 23 July 2026, 19:00 (BST)
- Venue: Kybunpark, St.Gallen, Switzerland.
Probably the most intriguing matchup on paper, as St. Gallen welcome one of Europe's historic clubs in Benfica for a tie that could provide plenty of drama.
The two teams have never crossed paths, marking this clash as their first-ever meeting. On paper, Benfica are the superior opponent given their given their rich European history, greater squad depth, not forgetting regular involvement in continental competition.
This could easily turn out to be a one-sided affair with the Swiss outfit being on the receiving end of an unfavourable outcome.
St. Gallen are making their fourth appearance in this tournament and have never progressed beyond the qualifying rounds since the 2013-14 season. The last time they featured in the qualifying rounds was in 2021, when they reached the third round but were ultimately eliminated by AEK Athens.
The Portuguese outfit, meanwhile, have been a consistent participant on the European stage but are making their first appearance in Europe's second-tier competition since the 2023-24 season when they were eliminated by Marseille in the quarter-finals.
Talking about knockout matches, few teams can match the Reds' Europa League knockout experience, with their 48 appearances in this stage ranking second most in the competition's history.
