The Ukrainian team of referees has been appointed to the UEFA Europa League third round match between the Belgian “Union Saint-Gilloise” and the Israeli “Hapoel” from Be’er Sheva. The game will take place on October 22, 2026, in Düsseldorf, Germany, with the stands remaining empty.
Author: Lev Varshavsky, NANews
The appointment was announced on October 20, 2026, by the Ukrainian Football Association.
Who will referee the Israeli team
The main referee appointed is Nikolai Balakin. On the sidelines, he will be assisted by Alexei Berkut and Viktor Matyash. The fourth referee will be Dmitry Panchishin.
The VAR system — video replays of controversial game episodes — will be handled by Italian Michael Fabbri and Ukrainian Viktor Kopievsky.
Thus, the refereeing team includes five representatives from Ukraine and one Italian specialist.
The meeting will begin at 19:45 Israeli time.
Why the Belgian club is hosting the Israelis in Germany
Initially, the match was planned to be held in Leuven, Belgium. However, local authorities prohibited its holding, citing public safety threats related to the arrival of the Israeli team.
Leuven Mayor Mohamed Ridouani did not agree even to the option of a game without spectators. In his opinion, fans could still gather near the stadium.
The Belgian “Union” was looking for another venue, preferably closer to Brussels, but did not find a suitable option with the possibility of hosting the public.
On September 25, the club officially announced that the meeting would take place at Düsseldorf Arena in Germany with empty stands.
NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency
Israeli-Ukrainian episode of European football
For Israeli fans, the situation is unusual: “Hapoel” Be’er Sheva is going to an away match against a Belgian team, but will have to play in Germany. Moreover, without the support of fans from either side.
Ukrainian referees in this story are directly responsible for the football part of the meeting. Their appointment was made by UEFA, not by the football federations of Israel or Belgium.
This is yet another example of the intersection of Ukrainian and Israeli sports on European platforms. Previously, NANews reported on the confrontation between the national teams of Israel and Ukraine at the 2026 European Volleyball Championship.
On October 22, attention will be focused not only on the match result. The question of why the Israeli team cannot play with the Belgian opponent in Belgium remains outside the football field.