- PAOK form: FC PAOK Thessaloniki (W) won their 2025-26 Greece A' Ethniki Women title unbeaten with 72 points.
- Hapoel form: Hapoel Jerusalem (W) won the 2025-26 Ligat Nashim with 71 points.
- Head-to-head: This is the first ever encounter between the clubs with no previous head-to-head records to go on.
PAOK can edge it in a one-off battle
FC PAOK Thessaloniki (W) and Hapoel Jerusalem (W) meet in Veria on Wednesday in what looks a pretty evenly matched contest on paper for their one-leg tussle in UEFA Women's Champions League qualification for the 2026-27 season. The odds on the game don't lie, however, with the hosts installed as the clear favorites at 1.77 while Hapoel Jerusalem are a huge 3.75.
The draw is priced at 3.7 here so it's clear that the bookmakers feel PAOK should win this matchup, and we agree. PAOK finished the 2025–26 Greece A' Ethniki Women season unbeaten with 72 points, while Hapoel Jerusalem topped the Ligat Nashim with 71, so both arrive as domestic champions with some pedigree. Thanasis Patrikidis' side did the domestic double and have a strong team spirit and a game plan built on intensity, possession and some good width.
Minela Gatsanitza is the goal-getter for PAOK
PAOK threats
- Minela Gatsanitza, who reportedly scored 23 league goals in 2025–26, is PAOK's main goal threat in attack and an obvious danger for the Greek back line to keep track of.
- Maria Gouni adds some big-game experience to this team and if she can repeat her cup final goal against Asteras Tripolis, it will be another arrow in the hosts' bow.
Hapoel threats
Hapoel head coach Tzach Shimroni has turned them into Israeli champions by getting his team to play a compact, transition-heavy 4-3-3 that presses hard and breaks fast.
- Smadar Cohen, after a 28-goal season in the league, will be the obvious danger woman that PAOK must keep track of.
- But Rachel Steinschneider and Doris Boaduwaa also give them a multi-threat in the final third and PAOK can't focus only on one finisher.
Hosts are in better form and have more squad depth
PAOK are in fine form, although Hapoel's results are mixed. The Israeli side have been dangerous, scoring four goals in two of their last five official games, but they also lost narrowly to Qiryat Gat and were held at home by Maccabi Hadera.
PAOK are unbeaten in their last five, coming off a 2-0 cup final win over Asteras Tripolis and a 6-0 league trouncing of Volos.
Over 2.5 goals at 1.55 looks a much better fit for this encounter than the low-scoring draw no-one really wants, while both teams to score at 1.5 makes plenty of sense given the recent results of both sides. We're going with PAOK to edge it in a 2-0 win, however, because this is a one-off game and the first goal could be massive, while the margin for error will be slim.
Hot conditions in Greece should slow the game down later on and PAOK's squad depth and game management should be a factor here, so they should just have enough to nick a result in what could be a cagey contest.
