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Liga Alef

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Football league

Liga Alef

Founded	1949
Country	Israel
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Number of clubs	16X2
Level on pyramid	3
Promotion to	Liga Leumit
Relegation to	Liga Bet
Domestic cup	State Cup
Current champions	Hapoel Ra'anana (North) Hapoel Kfar Shalem (South)
Website	North South
Current:2025–26 Liga Alef

Liga Alef (Hebrew:ליגה א',lit. 'League A') is the third tier of theIsraeli football league system.^[1] It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south.

History

[edit]

League football began inIsrael in1949–50, a year after theIsraeli Declaration of Independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga Alef. The 1952–53 season was also not played and Liga Alef resumed in1953–54.

In the 1955–56 season,Liga Leumit came into existence as the new top division, with Liga Alef becoming the second division. In the summer of 1976, restructuring saw the creation ofLiga Artzit as a new second tier, and the second demotion of Liga Alef, as it became the third division. Further restructuring to create theIsraeli Premier League in the summer of 1999 saw Liga Alef demoted again, this time to the fourth tier. At the end of the2008–09 season, Liga Artzit was scrapped as the Premier League and Liga Leumit were expanded to 16 clubs each, with Liga Alef becoming the third tier once more.

Structure

[edit]

Today, Liga Alef is split into two regional divisions on a north-south basis. Because Israel's northern half is much more densely populated than thedesert south, the dividing line between the northern and southern divisions is somewhere betweenHaifa andTel Aviv, meaning that the southern "half" covers about three-quarters of the country. Although this inequality is partially offset by the fact that there are so few clubs south ofBeersheba (Dimona,Yeroham,Mitzpe Ramon andEilat are the only sizable towns south of the city, whileArad is approximately on the same latitude), the northern clubs tend to be clustered in theGalilee region, making travel to away matches much less of a chore.

Each division has sixteen clubs, who play each other home and away to make a 30-game season. The club finishing top of each regional division is promoted toLiga Leumit, whilst the eight second to fifth placed clubs have a play-off, with the winner playing-off against the third-bottom club in Liga Leumit for a place in that division. The bottom two from each division are relegated toLiga Bet, the fourth tier, and the two third-bottom clubs playing-off against play-off winners from Liga Bet for a place in Liga Alef. Coming into Liga Alef are the two or three clubs relegated from Liga Leumit and the four to six clubs promoted from Liga Bet (the winner of each of the four regional divisions, and one or two more runners-up, had they are successful in the play-off). The clubs are then pooled and assigned to the most geographically appropriate of the two divisions.

Current members

[edit]

The following clubs are participating in the2025–26 season:

North	South
F.C. Tira	Beitar Yavne
Hapoel Baqa al-Gharbiyye	F.C. Dimona
Hapoel Beit She'an/Mesilot	F.C. Jerusalem
Hapoel Bnei Araba	F.C. Kfar Saba
Hapoel Bnei Musmus	F.C. Nordia Jerusalem
Hapoel Ironi Karmiel	F.C. Tzeirei Tira
Hapoel Migdal HaEmek	Hapoel Azor
Hapoel Tirat HaCarmel	Hapoel Herzliya
Hapoel Umm al-Fahm	Hapoel Marmorek
Ironi Nesher	Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon
Maccabi Akhi Nazareth	Holon Yermiyahu F.C.
Maccabi Ata Bialik	Maccabi Ironi Ashdod
Maccabi Neve Sha'anan Eldad	Maccabi Kiryat Gat
Maccabi Nujeidat	Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi
Tzeirei Umm al-Fahm	Maccabi Yavne
Tzeirei Tamra	Shimshon Tel Aviv

Previous seasons

[edit]

1951–63

[edit]

Season	Winner	Relegated
First tier
1951–52	Maccabi Tel Aviv	Hapoel Rishon LeZion,Maccabi Rishon LeZion
1953–54	Maccabi Tel Aviv	None¹
1954–55	Hapoel Petah Tikva	Beitar Jerusalem,Hapoel Hadera,Hapoel Balfouria
Second tier
1955–56	Hakoah Tel Aviv²	Ahva Notzrit Haifa,Hapoel Ra'anana,Hapoel Balfouria
1956–57	Hapoel Kfar Saba³	Hapoel Nahariya,Maccabi Ramat Gan
1957–58	Beitar Jerusalem⁴	None⁴
1958–59	Bnei Yehuda	Maccabi Sha'arayim,Hapoel Afula
1959–60	Shimshon Tel Aviv	Maccabi Rehovot,Hapoel Netanya
1960–61	Hapoel Tiberias	Hapoel Hadera,Hapoel Herzliya
1961–62	Hakoah Tel Aviv	Maccabi Hadera,Hapoel Rehovot
1962–63	Hapoel Ramat Gan⁵	Hapoel Safed,Maccabi Ramla

¹ No clubs were relegated as the league was expanded to 14 clubs in the following season.

² There was no automatic promotion in the 1955-56 season.Hakoah Tel Aviv lost in the promotion play-offs toMaccabi Jaffa of Liga Leumit.

³ First placedHapoel Kfar Saba and third placedHapoel Jerusalem were promoted after promotion play-offs.

⁴ No clubs were promoted or relegated after the Israel Football Association decided to abandon the league before the end of the season, due to suspicions of bribery.

⁵Hapoel Lod andMaccabi Sha'arayim were also promoted.

Northern division

[edit]

Season	Winner	Relegated
Second tier
1963–64	Maccabi Netanya	Hapoel Nahariya,Hapoel Givat Haim
1964–65	Hapoel Mahane Yehuda	Maccabi Zikhron Ya'akov,Hapoel Ra'anana
1965–66	Maccabi Haifa	Hapoel Kiryat Shmona,Beitar Haifa
1966–68	Hapoel Kfar Saba	Hapoel Nahariya,Hapoel Safed
1968–69	Maccabi Petah Tikva	Hapoel Ra'anana,Hapoel Kfar Blum
1969–70	Hapoel Hadera	Hapoel Kiryat Haim,Beitar Kiryat Tiv'on
1970–71	Maccabi Jaffa	Hapoel Zikhron Ya'akov,Maccabi Hadera
1971–72	Maccabi Petah Tikva	Hapoel Netanya,Hapoel Kiryat Haim
1972–73	Hapoel Hadera	Hapoel Mahane Yehuda,Hapoel Givat Haim
1973–74	Hapoel Acre¹	Hapoel Migdal HaEmek
1974–75	Maccabi Haifa	None²
1975–76	Hapoel Acre	Hapoel Tiberias,Hapoel Kiryat Ata
Third tier
1976–77	Hapoel Tirat HaCarmel	Hapoel Mahane Yehuda,Hapoel Safed
1977–78	Hapoel Tiberias³	Hapoel Bnei Nazareth,Hapoel Beit Eliezer
1978–79	Hapoel Nazareth Illit⁴	Hapoel Nahliel,Hapoel Givat Haim
1979–80	Hapoel Kiryat Shmona	Maccabi Ahi Nazareth,Hapoel Umm al-Fahm
1980–81	Beitar Netanya⁵	Hapoel Netanya,Maccabi Or Akiva
1981–82	Hapoel Hadera⁶	Hapoel Afikim,Hapoel Nahariya
1982–83	Beitar Haifa	Hapoel Givat Olga,Hapoel Nahliel
1983–84	Hapoel Tiberias	Maccabi Bnei Hatzor,Hapoel Migdal HaEmek
1984–85	Beitar Netanya⁷	Hapoel Bnei Nazareth,Hapoel Tel Hanan
1985–86	Hapoel Beit She'an⁸	Hapoel Nazareth Illit,Maccabi Shefa-'Amr
1986–87	Maccabi Hadera⁹	Hapoel Aliyah Kfar Saba,Maccabi Or Akiva
1987–88	Maccabi Tamra	Hapoel Ra'anana,Hapoel Bnei Tamra
1988–89	Hapoel Tirat HaCarmel	Hapoel Tira,Hapoel Kiryat Ata
1989–90	Maccabi Acre	Hapoel Bnei Nazareth,Beitar Haifa
1990–91	Maccabi Herzliya	Beitar Nahariya,Maccabi Hadera
1991–92	Hapoel Daliyat al-Karmel	Maccabi Tamra,Maccabi Kafr Kanna
1992–93	Hapoel Beit She'an¹⁰	Maccabi Bnei Hatzor
1993–94	Hapoel Ramat Gan¹¹	Beitar Nahariya
1994–95	Maccabi Acre	Hapoel Tirat HaCarmel,Hapoel Tiberias
1995–96	Maccabi Kafr Kanna	Hapoel Givat Olga,Maccabi Or Akiva
1996–97	Bnei Sakhnin	Hapoel Migdal HaEmek,Hapoel Iksal
1997–98	Maccabi Ahi Nazareth	Maccabi Hadera,Hapoel Karmiel
1998–99	Hapoel Ra'anana¹²	Hapoel Umm al-Fahm,Hapoel Kafr Qasim
Fourth tier
1999–2000	Hapoel Majd al-Krum	Maccabi Afula
2000–01	Ironi Kiryat Shmona	Maccabi Isfiya,Hapoel Iksal
2001–02	Hapoel Kafr Sumei	Hapoel Tzeirei Nahf,Hapoel Hurfeish
2002–03	Hapoel Herzliya	Hapoel Hadera,Hapoel Tayibe
2003–04	Maccabi Hadera¹³	Hapoel Migdal HaEmek
2004–05	Maccabi Tzur Shalom	Hapoel Tuba,Maccabi Tur'an
2005–06	Hapoel Bnei Tamra	Maccabi Tamra,Hapoel Beit She'an,Maccabi Shefa-'Amr
2006–07	Hapoel Bnei Jadeidi	Hapoel Kafr Sumei,Hapoel Reineh,Maccabi Sektzia Ma'alot-Tarshiha
2007–08	Hapoel Umm al-Fahm	Beitar Haifa,Hapoel Ahva Haifa,Hapoel Makr
2008–09	Ahva Arraba	Maccabi Ironi Shlomi/Nahariya,Beitar Ihud Mashhad
Third tier
2009–10	Maccabi Ironi Jatt	Hapoel Bnei Jadeidi,Hapoel Bnei Tamra,Maccabi Ironi Tirat HaCarmel
2010–11	Maccabi Umm al-Fahm	Ironi Sayid Umm al-Fahm,Maccabi Kafr Qara,Hapoel Ramot Menashe Megiddo
2011–12	Hapoel Asi Gilboa¹⁴	Maccabi Ironi Tamra,Ahi Acre
2012–13	Hapoel Afula	Hapoel Kafr Kanna,Maccabi Sektzia Ma'alot-Tarshiha
2013–14	Hapoel Kfar Saba¹⁵	Hapoel Daliyat al-Karmel,Maccabi Kafr Kanna,Ahva Arraba
2014–15	Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem	Beitar Nahariya,Maccabi Umm al-Fahm
2015–16	Ironi Nesher	Maccabi Sektzia Ma'alot-Tarshiha,Ihud Bnei Majd al-Krum
2016–17	Hapoel Hadera	Tzeirei Kafr Kanna
2017–18	Hapoel Iksal	Hapoel Beit She'an,Maccabi Daliyat al-Karmel
2018–19	Hapoel Umm al-Fahm	Ironi Nesher,Hapoel Jerusalem

¹ There was no automatic promotion in the 1973-74 season.Hapoel Acre finished fifth in the promotion play-offs and remained in Liga Alef. However, runners-up,Shimshon Tel-Aviv, finished second in the promotion play-offs and were promoted to Liga Leumit.

²Hapoel Kiryat Shmona andHapoel Safed were reprieved from relegation after the Israel Football Association decided to expand Liga Leumit to 18 clubs and Liga Alef to 17 clubs in each division for the following season.

³Maccabi Herzliya andHapoel Beit She'an were also promoted.

⁴Hapoel Herzliya were also promoted after play-off victory over runners-up of Liga Alef South,Maccabi Kiryat Gat.

⁵Hapoel Tel Hanan were also promoted after play-off victory over runners-up of Liga Alef South,Hapoel Ramla.

⁶Maccabi Shefa-'Amr were also promoted after play-off victory over runners-up of Liga Alef South,Hapoel Bat Yam.

⁷Hapoel Acre were also promoted after play-off victory over runners-up of Liga Alef South,Maccabi Lazarus Holon.

⁸Beitar Nahariya were also promoted after play-off victory over runners-up of Liga Alef South,Hapoel Rishon LeZion.

⁹ There was no automatic promotion in the 1986-87 season.Maccabi Hadera finished third in the promotion play-offs afterHapoel Bat Yam of Liga Alef South andHapoel Ramat Gan of Liga Artzit and remained in Liga Alef.

¹⁰Hapoel Tayibe were also promoted as runners-up.

¹¹Hapoel Kiryat Shmona were also promoted as runners-up.

¹²Hapoel Nazareth Illit,Hapoel Iksal andHapoel Acre were also promoted.

¹³ AlthoughMaccabi Hadera finished top, they folded and second-placedMaccabi Ironi Tirat HaCarmel were promoted instead.

¹⁴ There was no automatic promotion in the 2011-12 season.Hapoel Asi Gilboa lost in promotion play-offs to the South division champions,Maccabi Yavne in away goals (2-2 on aggregate) and remained in Liga Alef.

¹⁵Ironi Tiberias were also promoted after play-off victory overHapoel Katamon of Liga Leumit.

Southern division

[edit]

Season	Winner	Relegated
Second tier
1963–64	Beitar Tel Aviv	Maccabi Shmuel Tel Aviv,Hapoel Rishon LeZion
1964–65	Hapoel Be'er Sheva	Hapoel Ramla,Beitar Harari Tel Aviv
1965–66	SK Nes Tziona	HaBira Jerusalem,Hapoel Giv'atayim
1966–68	Beitar Jerusalem	Beitar Kiryat Ono,Hapoel Kfar Shalem
1968–69	Beitar Tel Aviv	Hapoel Yehud,Maccabi Holon
1969–70	Hapoel Holon	Beitar Be'er Sheva,Hapoel Sderot
1970–71	Hapoel Be'er Sheva	SK Nes Tziona,Beitar Lod
1971–72	Hapoel Marmorek	Hapoel Ashkelon,Maccabi Bat Yam
1972–73	Bnei Yehuda	Hapoel Eilat,Hapoel Kiryat Ono
1973–74	Maccabi Sha'arayim¹	Maccabi Holon
1974–75	Maccabi Ramat Amidar	None²
1975–76	Hapoel Yehud	Beitar Jaffa,Hapoel Lod
Third tier
1976–77	Hapoel Beit Shemesh	Hapoel Dimona,Hapoel Be'er Ya'akov
1977–78	Hapoel Marmorek³	Maccabi HaShikma Ramat Gan,Hapoel Rosh HaAyin
1978–79	Hapoel Beit Shemesh	SK Nes Tziona,Beitar Ashdod
1979–80	Maccabi Yavne⁴	Hapoel Or Yehuda,Hapoel Kafr Qasim
1980–81	Maccabi Kiryat Gat	Maccabi Be'er Sheva,Hapoel Rosh HaAyin
1981–82	Hapoel Ashkelon	Hapoel Herzliya,Maccabi Lazarus Holon
1982–83	Hapoel Marmorek⁵	Hapoel Ashdod,Hapoel Dimona
1983–84	Maccabi Sha'arayim⁶	Ironi Ashdod,Maccabi Herzliya
1984–85	Hapoel Beit Shemesh	Hapoel Ramla,Hapoel Ihud Tzeirei Jaffa
1985–86	Hapoel Dimona	Maccabi HaShikma Ramat Gan⁷
1986–87	Hapoel Bat Yam	Beitar Be'er Sheva,Hapoel Yeruham
1987–88	Beitar Ramla	Hapoel Ramat HaSharon,Hapoel Azor
1988–89	Hapoel Rishon LeZion	Hapoel Ramla,Hapoel Beit Shemesh
1989–90	Hapoel Ashdod⁸	Hapoel Or Yehuda,Hapoel Dimona
1990–91	SK Nes Tziona⁹	Maccabi Shikun HaMizrah,Hapoel Lod
1991–92	Hapoel Ashkelon	Hapoel Yehud,Hapoel Aliyah Kfar Saba
1992–93	Ironi Rishon LeZion¹⁰	Beitar Netanya
1993–94	Maccabi Kiryat Gat¹¹	Maccabi HaShikma Ramat Hen
1994–95	Hapoel Kfar Shalem	Hapoel Be'er Ya'akov,Hapoel Daliyat al-Karmel
1995–96	Hapoel Ashkelon	Hapoel Marmorek,Hapoel Merhavim
1996–97	Hapoel Lod	Maccabi Shikun HaMizrah,Hapoel Kiryat Malakhi
1997–98	Beitar Be'er Sheva	Hapoel Kiryat Ono,Hapoel Yehud
1998–99	Hapoel Ironi Dimona¹²	Hapoel Yeruham,Beitar Ramla
Fourth tier
1999–2000	Maccabi Ashkelon¹³	Hapoel Or Yehuda
2000–01	Maccabi Yavne	Hapoel Ihud Tzeirei Jaffa,Sektzia Nes Tziona
2001–02	Maccabi Ramat Amidar	Hapoel Kiryat Ono,Hapoel Lod,Maccabi Jerusalem/Ma'ale Adumim
2002–03	Hapoel Tira¹⁴	None¹⁵
2003–04	Maccabi Be'er Sheva¹⁶	Hapoel Bat Yam
2004–05	Hapoel Bnei Lod	Hapoel Qalansawe,Hapoel Jaljulia
2005–06	Sektzia Nes Tziona	Maccabi Sha'arayim,F.C. Kafr Qasim,Beitar Givat Ze'ev
2006–07	Hapoel Maxim Lod¹⁷	AS Jaffa,Hapoel Arad
2007–08	Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam	Tzafririm Holon,Maccabi Amishav Petah Tikva,Ironi Ofakim
2008–09	Maccabi Be'er Sheva	Ironi Ramla,Hapoel Masos Shaqib al-Salam
Third tier
2009–10	Hapoel Herzliya	Beitar Kfar Saba,Hapoel Mevaseret Zion
2010–11	Hapoel Jerusalem	Hapoel Nahlat Yehuda,Tzafririm Holon,Shimshon Bnei Tayibe
2011–12	Maccabi Yavne	Maccabi Ironi Netivot,Maccabi HaShikma Ramat Hen,Maccabi Ironi Jatt Alahli
2012–13	Hapoel Katamon	Hapoel Arad,Maccabi Ironi Kfar Yona,Ortodoxim Lod
2013–14	Maccabi Kiryat Gat	Maccabi Be'er Ya'akov,Bnei Eilat
2014–15	Hapoel Ashkelon	Maccabi Be'er Sheva,Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi
2015–16	Maccabi Sha'arayim	Maccabi Amishav Petah Tikva,Bnei Eilat,Hapoel Morasha Ramat HaSharon
2016–17	Hapoel Marmorek	Bnei Jaffa Ortodoxim,F.C. Shikun HaMizrah
2017–18	Sektzia Nes Tziona	F.C. Dimona,Hapoel Hod HaSharon
2018–19	Hapoel Umm al-Fahm	Hapoel Jerusalem

¹ There was no automatic promotion in the 1973-74 season.Maccabi Sha'arayim finished sixth and bottom in the promotion play-offs and remained in Liga Alef.

²SK Nes Tziona andBeitar Jaffa were reprieved from relegation after the Israel Football Association decided to expand Liga Leumit to 18 clubs and Liga Alef to 17 clubs in each division for the following season.

³Hapoel Lod andHapoel Bat Yam were also promoted.

⁴Beitar Ramla were also promoted after play-off victory over runners-up of Liga Alef North,Hapoel Ramat HaSharon.

⁵Hapoel Holon were also promoted after play-off victory over runners-up of Liga Alef North,Maccabi Hadera.

⁶Hapoel Ramat HaSharon were also promoted after play-off victory over runners-up of Liga Alef North,Beitar Netanya.

⁷ Season played with 13 clubs afterTzafririm Holon merged with Liga Artzit club,Hapoel Holon.

⁸Ironi Ashdod were also promoted after play-off victory overMaccabi Tamra of Liga Artzit.

⁹Hakoah Ramat Gan were also promoted after play-off victory overHapoel Bat Yam of Liga Artzit.

¹⁰Hapoel Bat Yam were also promoted as runners-up.

¹¹Hapoel Lod were also promoted as runners-up.

¹²Hapoel Ramat Gan,Maccabi Sha'arayim andShimshon Tel Aviv were also promoted.

¹³Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon were also promoted as the best runners-up in Liga Alef, following the merger of Liga Artzit clubs,Beitar Tel Aviv andShimshon Tel Aviv.

¹⁴Hapoel Marmorek were also promoted as the best runners-up in Liga Alef, afterBeitar Be'er Sheva (which were relegated from Liga Leumit to Liga Artzit) folded.

¹⁵ No club relegated as bothBeitar Be'er Sheva (which were relegated from Liga Leumit to Liga Artzit) andHapoel Ironi Dimona folded.

¹⁶Maccabi HaShikma Ramat Hen were also promoted as the best runners-up in Liga Alef, afterMaccabi Kiryat Gat were demoted from Liga Leumit to Liga Alef.

¹⁷ AlthoughHapoel Maxim Lod finished top, they folded and second-placedHapoel Kfar Shalem were promoted instead.

References

[edit]

^Nakrani, Sachin (2020-01-12)."Interview 'The men were screaming. They made me feel I should not be a referee'".The Guardian. Retrieved2024-03-01.

External links

[edit]

Israel Football Association

v t e Liga Alef
North	F.C. Tira Hapoel Afula Hapoel Baqa al-Gharbiyye Hapoel Beit She'an Hapoel Bnei Musmus Hapoel Bnei Zalafa Hapoel Bu'eine Hapoel Ironi Arraba Hapoel Migdal HaEmek Hapoel Umm al-Fahm Ironi Nesher Maccabi Akhi Nazareth Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata Bialik Maccabi Neve Sha'anan Tzeirei Kafr Kanna Tzeirei Umm al-Fahm Tzeirei Tamra
South	F.C. Dimona F.C. Jerusalem F.C. Holon Yermiyahu Hapoel Ashdod Hapoel Azor Hapoel Herzliya Hapoel 1928 Kfar Saba Hapoel Marmorek Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi Maccabi Ironi Ashdod Maccabi Kiryat Gat Maccabi Yavne Nordia Jerusalem Sektzia Ness Ziona Shimshon Tel Aviv Tzeirei Tira
Seasons (third level)	1938 1940 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26
See also:Liga Artzit

Football in Israel

Domestic leagues

Men	Premier League Liga Leumit Liga Alef Liga Bet Liga Gimel Noar Premier League
Women	Women's League
Other	Beach Soccer League Futsal League

Domestic cups

Men	State Cup Super Cup Toto Cup Youth State Cup
Women	Israeli Women's Cup

Defunct competitions

National teams

Men	National team Players History Records Olympic team U-21 U-20 U-19 U-18 U-17 U-16
Women	National team Players U-19 U-17
Other	National beach team National futsal team Mandatory Palestine(1934–1940)

Related tonational team

Results

International tournaments