List of Israeli football champions

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In terms of titles won, Maccabi Tel Aviv are Israel's most successful club. The Maccabi squad of 1939 is pictured at Sydney Cricket Ground during a tour of Australia. Maccabi Tel Aviv football team 1939.jpg
In terms of titles won, Maccabi Tel Aviv are Israel's most successful club. The Maccabi squad of 1939 is pictured at Sydney Cricket Ground during a tour of Australia.

The association football champions of Israel are the winners of the highest league in Israeli football, which is currently the Israeli Premier League. The league is contested on a round robin basis and the championship awarded to the team that is top of the league at the end of the season. Having won the 2023–24 competition, Maccabi Tel Aviv are the current champions.

Contents

Following the creation of the Eretz Israel Football Association in August 1928, [1] the first nationwide football championship in Mandatory Palestine, the Palestine League, began in October 1930, although this competition was abandoned. [2] The Palestine League's last edition was played during the 1947–48 season, and was abandoned as well due to the Independence War. The league resumed in May 1949 and since then the national championship has been played under three names: Liga Alef, between 1949 and 1955; Liga Leumit, from 1955 to 1999; and finally, since 1999, the Israeli Premier League.

In all, Maccabi Tel Aviv hold the record for most championships, with 25 titles; they are also the only Israeli club to have never been relegated from the top division. [3] [4] The next most successful teams are Maccabi Haifa (15 titles) and Hapoel Tel Aviv (11), followed by Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Petah Tikva six titles each. While Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv have always been major players in the league championship, the consistent success of Maccabi Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem has been a relatively recent phenomenon, both clubs having won their first title during the 1980s. The longest run of successive titles is five, won by Hapoel Petah Tikva between the 1958–59 and 1962–63 seasons. [5]

Champions

Key
†Champions also won the Israel State Cup during the same season. (People's Cup before 1948)
‡Champions also won the League Cup during the same season. (began play in 1984)
§Champions also won both cups during the same season.
(titles)A running tally of the total number of championships won by each club is kept in brackets.

Palestine League (1931–1947)

Hapoel Tel Aviv (light shirts) took on the American Soccer League's all-star team at Ebbets Field, New York in 1947. Benny 1949.jpg
Hapoel Tel Aviv (light shirts) took on the American Soccer League's all-star team at Ebbets Field, New York in 1947.

The inaugural Palestine League title was won by British Police, who finished the season unbeaten and also won the People's Cup to complete the country's first double. [6] Except for Jerusalem-based British Police's initial victory, only clubs from Tel Aviv won the title during the Mandate period; Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv won five and four championships respectively. [5] [nb 1] Because of violent conflicts involving the Yishuv, the competition's scheduling was inconsistent and in some seasons no national championship was held or league competitions were abandoned. [7] [8] [2]

Full league standings and top scorer details not known at this time.
SeasonWinner (titles)Runners-upNotes
1930–31Not Finished– [nb 2]
1931–32 British Police (1)† Hapoel Tel Aviv —
1932–33Not Finished– [nb 3]
1933–34 Hapoel Tel Aviv (1)† Maccabi Hashmonai —
1934–35 Not Finished– [nb 1]
1935–36 Maccabi Tel Aviv (1) Hakoah Tel Aviv —
1937 Maccabi Tel Aviv (2) Hapoel Tel Aviv —
1938 Not Finished– [nb 1]
1939 Maccabi Tel Aviv (3) Hapoel Tel Aviv [nb 4]
1940 Hapoel Tel Aviv (2) Beitar Tel Aviv —
1940–41Not Held– [nb 5]
1941–42 Maccabi Tel Aviv (4) Maccabi Rishon LeZion [nb 6]
1942–43Not Held– [nb 7]
1943–44 Hapoel Tel Aviv (3) Maccabi Rehovot [nb 8]
1944–45 Hapoel Tel Aviv (4)
Beitar Tel Aviv (1)		 Hapoel Ramat Gan
Maccabi Rehovot 		[nb 9]
1945–46Not Finished– [nb 10]
1946–47 Maccabi Tel Aviv (5)† Beitar Tel Aviv —
1947–48 Not Finished– [nb 11]
1948 Not Finished– [nb 12]

Israeli League (1949–1951)

Following Israel's creation in 1948, the association dropped "Eretz" from its name and the cup was renamed the Israel Cup. The league championship was held as the "Israeli League" for one season, in 1949–50; Maccabi Tel Aviv won the title.

SeasonWinner (titles)Runners-upThird placeTop ScorerGoalsNotes
1949–50 Maccabi Tel Aviv (6) Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Haifa Yosef Merimovich (Maccabi Tel Aviv)25—
1950–51Not Held—————

Liga Alef (1951–1955)

A new top division, Liga Alef started play with the 1951–52 season. It became the second tier of Israeli football in 1955–56, when it was superseded as the top flight by Liga Leumit. Maccabi Tel Aviv won the first two of the championships held under this name, whilst the 1954–55 ended with the championship leaving Tel Aviv for the first time since the first league season, 1931–32; Hapoel Petah Tikva finished the season top of the league while Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv came in second and third place respectively

SeasonWinner (titles)Runners-upThird placeTop ScorerGoalsNotes
1951–52 Maccabi Tel Aviv (7) Maccabi Petah Tikva Hapoel Haifa Yehoshua Glazer (Maccabi Tel Aviv)24—
1952–53Not Held—————
1953–54 Maccabi Tel Aviv (8)† Maccabi Petah Tikva Hapoel Petah Tikva Eliezer Spiegel (Maccabi Petah Tikva)16—
1954–55 Hapoel Petah Tikva (1) Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv Nisim Elmaliah (Beitar Tel Aviv)30—

Liga Leumit (1955–1999)

Nahum Stelmach (left, striped shirt) takes a shot for Hapoel Petah Tikva during the 1950s. Stelmach was a key player as the club won five titles in a row between 1958 and 1963. PikiWiki Israel 7321 football game.jpg
Nahum Stelmach (left, striped shirt) takes a shot for Hapoel Petah Tikva during the 1950s. Stelmach was a key player as the club won five titles in a row between 1958 and 1963.

The inaugural Liga Leumit season, 1955–56, ended with the championship won by Maccabi Tel Aviv, which have won two of the next three titles and Hapoel Tel Aviv one. Hapoel Petah Tikva then finished in second place three times in a row, before starting a record run of five successive championship victories. Hapoel Petah Tikva's run of five consecutive titles between the 1958–59 and 1962–63 seasons remains unmatched today. Two Ramat Gan clubs, Hapoel Ramat Gan and Hakoah Ramat Gan, then claimed a title each before Hapoel Tel Aviv took the title to Tel Aviv at the end of the 1965–66 season. In the 1966–68 season, often referred to as the "double season", the sixteen teams played each other twice at home and twice away during a season lasting two years. [20]

During the 1970s and 1980s, six teams won their first championships; Maccabi Netanya took four titles between 1970 and 1980 while Hapoel Be'er Sheva won two back-to-back in 1974–75 and 1975–76. Hapoel Kfar Saba, Maccabi Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem and Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv all won their first titles during the 1980s. After Bnei Yehuda's victory in 1989–90, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem dominated the remainder of the top-flight Liga Leumit era, winning every title except the last; the 1998–99 championship was won by first-time victors Hapoel Haifa.

SeasonWinner (titles)Runners-upThird placeTop ScorerGoalsNotes
1955–56 Maccabi Tel Aviv (9) Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Tel Aviv Avraham Levi (Beitar Tel Aviv)
Michael Michaelov (Beitar Tel Aviv)		16—
1956–57 Hapoel Tel Aviv (5) Hapoel Petah Tikva Maccabi Tel Aviv Avraham Ginzburg (Hapoel Haifa)16—
1957–58 Maccabi Tel Aviv (10)† Hapoel Petah Tikva Maccabi Haifa Rafi Levi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)14—
1958–59 Hapoel Petah Tikva (2) Hapoel Haifa Maccabi Tel Aviv Aharon Amar (Maccabi Haifa)17—
1959–60 Hapoel Petah Tikva (3) Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Haifa Rafi Levi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)19—
1960–61 Hapoel Petah Tikva (4) Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Haifa Shlomo Levi (Hapoel Haifa)
Zharia Ratzabi (Hapoel Petah Tikva)		15—
1961–62 Hapoel Petah Tikva (5) Maccabi Jaffa Hapoel Tiberias Shlomo Levi (Maccabi Haifa)
Itzhak Nizri (Hapoel Tiberias)		16—
1962–63 Hapoel Petah Tikva (6) Hapoel Tel Aviv Maccabi Jaffa Zharia Ratzabi (Hapoel Petah Tikva)12—
1963–64 Hapoel Ramat Gan (1) Maccabi Jaffa Hapoel Petah Tikva Israel Ashkenazi (Maccabi Jaffa)21—
1964–65 Hakoah Ramat Gan (1) Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Tel Aviv Israel Ashkenazi (Maccabi Jaffa)
Itzhak Mizrahi (Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv)		18—
1965–66 Hapoel Tel Aviv (6) Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Petah Tikva Moshe Romano (Shimshon Tel Aviv)
Mordechai Spiegler (Maccabi Netanya)		17—
1966–68 Maccabi Tel Aviv (11) Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Haifa Mordechai Spiegler (Maccabi Netanya)38 [nb 13]
1968–69 Hapoel Tel Aviv (7) Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Netanya Mordechai Spiegler (Maccabi Netanya)25—
1969–70 Maccabi Tel Aviv (12)† Hapoel Tel Aviv Maccabi Haifa Moshe Romano (Shimshon Tel Aviv)15—
1970–71 Maccabi Netanya (1) Shimshon Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv Eli Ben Rimoz (Hapoel Jerusalem)20—
1971–72 Maccabi Tel Aviv (13) Beitar Jerusalem Hakoah Ramat Gan Yehouda Shaharabani (Hakoah Ramat Gan)21—
1972–73 Hakoah Ramat Gan (2) Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Jerusalem Moshe Romano (Beitar Tel Aviv)18—
1973–74 Maccabi Netanya (2) Maccabi Tel Aviv Beitar Jerusalem Benny Alon (Hapoel Haifa)15—
1974–75 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (1) Maccabi Netanya Hapoel Haifa Moshe Romano (Shimshon Tel Aviv)17—
1975–76 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (2) Beitar Jerusalem Hapoel Haifa Oded Machnes (Maccabi Netanya)21—
1976–77 Maccabi Tel Aviv (14)† Maccabi Jaffa Beitar Jerusalem Vicky Peretz (Maccabi Tel Aviv)17—
1977–78 Maccabi Netanya (3)† Beitar Jerusalem Maccabi Tel Aviv David Lavi (Maccabi Netanya)16—
1978–79 Maccabi Tel Aviv (15) Beitar Jerusalem Maccabi Netanya Oded Machnes (Maccabi Netanya)
Eli Miali (Beitar Jerusalem)		18—
1979–80 Maccabi Netanya (4) Hapoel Tel Aviv Shimshon Tel Aviv David Lavi (Maccabi Netanya)18—
1980–81 Hapoel Tel Aviv (8) Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Maccabi Jaffa Hertzel Fitusi (Maccabi Petah Tikva)22—
1981–82 Hapoel Kfar Saba (1) Maccabi Netanya Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Oded Machnes (Maccabi Netanya)26—
1982–83 Maccabi Netanya (5) Shimshon Tel Aviv Hapoel Be'er Sheva Oded Machnes (Maccabi Netanya)22—
1983–84 Maccabi Haifa (1) Beitar Jerusalem Hapoel Tel Aviv David Lavi (Maccabi Netanya)16—
1984–85 Maccabi Haifa (2) Beitar Jerusalem Shimshon Tel Aviv David Lavi (Maccabi Netanya)18—
1985–86 Hapoel Tel Aviv (9) Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Tel Aviv Uri Malmilian (Beitar Jerusalem)
Doron Rabinzon (Maccabi Petah Tikva)		14—
1986–87 Beitar Jerusalem (1) Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv Eli Yani (Hapoel Kfar Saba)16—
1987–88 Hapoel Tel Aviv (10) Maccabi Netanya Hapoel Be'er Sheva Zahi Armeli (Maccabi Haifa)25—
1988–89 Maccabi Haifa (3) Hapoel Petah Tikva Maccabi Netanya Benny Tabak (Maccabi Tel Aviv)18—
1989–90 Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv (1) Hapoel Petah Tikva Maccabi Haifa Uri Malmilian (Maccabi Tel Aviv)16—
1990–91 Maccabi Haifa (4)† Hapoel Petah Tikva Beitar Tel Aviv Nir Levine (Hapoel Petah Tikva)20—
1991–92 Maccabi Tel Aviv (16) Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Maccabi Haifa Alon Mizrahi (Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv)20—
1992–93 Beitar Jerusalem (2) Maccabi Tel Aviv Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Alon Mizrahi (Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv)26—
1993–94 Maccabi Haifa (5)‡ Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Be'er Sheva Alon Mizrahi (Maccabi Haifa)28—
1994–95 Maccabi Tel Aviv (17) Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Be'er Sheva Haim Revivo (Maccabi Haifa)
Amir Turgeman (Maccabi Ironi Ashdod)		17—
1995–96 Maccabi Tel Aviv (18)† Maccabi Haifa Beitar Jerusalem Haim Revivo (Maccabi Haifa)26—
1996–97 Beitar Jerusalem (3) Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Be'er Sheva Motti Kakoun (Hapoel Petah Tikva)21—
1997–98 Beitar Jerusalem (4)‡ Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Haifa Alon Mizrahi (Maccabi Haifa)18—
1998–99 Hapoel Haifa (1) Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Haifa Andrzej Kubica (Maccabi Tel Aviv)21—

Israeli Premier League (1999–present)

Maccabi Tel Aviv celebrate winning the title at the end of the 2012-13 season Maccabi.JPG
Maccabi Tel Aviv celebrate winning the title at the end of the 2012–13 season

When the Israeli Premier League became the top division of Israeli football in 1999–2000, Liga Leumit became the second division. Since then, only six clubs have won the title; Hapoel Tel Aviv, Ironi Kiryat Shmona, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem. Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem are sometimes referred to as the "Big Four" of Israeli football. [21]

Having won seven titles in the league's 20 seasons, the most successful club during this period is Maccabi Haifa; during the same period Maccabi Tel Aviv have added six to their total, Hapoel Be'er Sheva added three championships, while Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv have won two championships each. Although Hapoel Tel Aviv have only finished top of the league twice since 1999—in 1999–2000 and ten years later in 2009–10—they have won the double on both occasions.

This achievement was matched by Beitar Jerusalem in 2007–08. Ironi Kiryat Shmona won their first championship during the 2011–12 season, thereby becoming the first northern title-winners. Both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Be'er Sheva have won three titles in a row.

Season		Winners (titles)Runners-upThird placeTop scorerGoalsNotes
1999–2000 Hapoel Tel Aviv (11)† [lower-alpha 1] Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Petah Tikva Assi Tubi (Maccabi Petah Tikva)27–
2000–01 Maccabi Haifa (6) Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Haifa ‡ [lower-alpha 2] Avi Nimni (Maccabi Tel Aviv)25 [24]
2001–02 Maccabi Haifa (7) Hapoel Tel Aviv ‡ [lower-alpha 2] Maccabi Tel Aviv † [lower-alpha 1] Kobi Refua (Maccabi Petah Tikva)18–
2002–03 Maccabi Tel Aviv (19) Maccabi Haifa ‡ [lower-alpha 2] Hapoel Tel Aviv Yaniv Abargil (Hapoel Kfar Saba) • Shay Holtzman (Ironi Rishon LeZion / F.C. Ashdod)18–
2003–04 Maccabi Haifa (8) Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Petah Tikva ‡ [lower-alpha 2] Ofir Haim (Hapoel Be'er Sheva) • Shay Holtzman (F.C. Ashdod)16–
2004–05 Maccabi Haifa (9) Maccabi Petah Tikva F.C. Ashdod Roberto Colautti (Maccabi Haifa)19–
2005–06 Maccabi Haifa (10)‡ [lower-alpha 2] Hapoel Tel Aviv Beitar Jerusalem Shay Holtzman (F.C. Ashdod)18–
2006–07 Beitar Jerusalem (5) Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Tel Aviv Yaniv Azran (F.C. Ashdod)15–
2007–08 Beitar Jerusalem (6)† [lower-alpha 1] Ironi Kiryat Shmona Samuel Yeboah (Hapoel Kfar Saba)15–
2008–09 Maccabi Haifa (11) Hapoel Tel Aviv Beitar Jerusalem † [lower-alpha 1] Barak Yitzhaki (Beitar Jerusalem) • Shimon Abuhatzira (Hapoel Petah Tikva) • Eliran Atar (Bnei Yehuda)14–
2009–10 Hapoel Tel Aviv (13)† [lower-alpha 1] Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Tel Aviv Shlomi Arbeitman (Maccabi Haifa)28–
2010–11 Maccabi Haifa (12) Hapoel Tel Aviv † [lower-alpha 1] Toto Tamuz (Hapoel Tel Aviv)21–
2011–12 Ironi Kiryat Shmona (1)‡ [lower-alpha 2] Hapoel Tel Aviv Bnei Yehuda Achmad Saba'a (Maccabi Netanya)20–
2012–13 Maccabi Tel Aviv (20) Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Tel Aviv Eliran Atar (Maccabi Tel Aviv)22–
2013–14 Maccabi Tel Aviv (21) Hapoel Be'er Sheva Ironi Kiryat Shmona † [lower-alpha 1] Eran Zahavi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)29–
2014–15 Maccabi Tel Aviv (22)§ [lower-alpha 3] Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Be'er Sheva 27 –
2015–16 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (3) Maccabi Tel Aviv Beitar Jerusalem 35 –
2016–17 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (4) ‡ [lower-alpha 2] Viðar Örn Kjartansson (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 19 –
2017–18 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (5) Maccabi Tel Aviv ‡ [lower-alpha 2] Dia Saba (Maccabi Netanya) 24 –
2018–19 Maccabi Tel Aviv (23)‡ [lower-alpha 2] Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Be'er Sheva Ben Sahar (Hapoel Be'er Sheva) 15 –
2019–20 Maccabi Tel Aviv (24) Beitar Jerusalem ‡ [lower-alpha 2] Nikita Rukavytsya (Maccabi Haifa) 22 –
2020–21 Maccabi Haifa (13) Maccabi Tel Aviv § [lower-alpha 3] Ashdod 19 –
2021–22 Maccabi Haifa (14)‡ [lower-alpha 2] Hapoel Be'er Sheva † [lower-alpha 1] Maccabi Tel Aviv Omer Atzili (Maccabi Haifa) 20 –
2022–23 Maccabi Haifa (15) Hapoel Be'er Sheva Maccabi Tel Aviv 21 –
2023–24 Maccabi Tel Aviv (25)‡ [lower-alpha 2] Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Be'er Sheva Dean David (Maccabi Haifa) • Eran Zahavi (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 20 –
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Won the Israel State Cup during the same season.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Won the League Cup during the same season.
  3. 1 2 Won both cups during the same season.

Performances

Performance by club

A star above the crest is awarded for every five titles.

ClubTitlesRunners-upWinning seasons
Maccabi Tel Aviv
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐		25121935–36, 1937, 1939, 1941–42, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1966–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2023–24
Maccabi Haifa
⭐⭐⭐		15101983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
Hapoel Tel Aviv
⭐⭐		13161933–34, 1940, 1943–44, 1956–57, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1980–81, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1999–2000, 2009–10
Hapoel Petah Tikva
⭐		6101954–55, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63
Beitar Jerusalem
⭐		661986–87, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2006–07, 2007–08
Maccabi Netanya
⭐		551970–71, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1982–83
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
⭐		531974–75, 1975–76, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
Hakoah Ramat Gan 2—1964–65, 1972–73
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv 131989–90
Beitar Tel Aviv 121944–45 [nb 14]
Hapoel Ramat Gan 11 [nb 15] 1963–64
Hapoel Haifa 111998–99
Ironi Kiryat Shmona 112011–12
British Police [nb 16] 1—1931–32
Hapoel Kfar Saba 1—1981–82
Maccabi Petah Tikva —3–
Maccabi Jaffa —3–
Maccabi Rehovot —2 [nb 17] –
Shimshon Tel Aviv —2–
Maccabi Jerusalem —1–
Hakoah Tel Aviv —1–
Maccabi Rishon LeZion —1–

Doubles by club

Titles won by club (%)

  Maccabi Tel Aviv – 23 (28%)
  Maccabi Haifa – 15 (18%)
  Hapoel Tel Aviv – 13 (15%)
  Beitar Jerusalem – 6 (8%)
  Hapoel Petah Tikva – 6 (8%)
  Maccabi Netanya – 5 (6%)
  Hapoel Beer-Sheva – 5 (6%)
  Other clubs – 9 (12%)

Six teams have completed the double by winning the Israeli State Cup during the same season. There have been 15 doubles won in total (including one treble, Maccabi Tel Aviv winning the championship, the State Cup and the Toto Cup in 2014–15); the most successful club in this regard is Maccabi Tel Aviv, who have been both league champions and cup winners on seven occasions.

ClubDoublesDouble Winning Seasons
Maccabi Tel Aviv 71946–47, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1969–70, 1976–77, 1995–96, 2014–15
Hapoel Tel Aviv 41933–34, 1937–38, 1999–2000, 2009–10
British Police 11931–32
Maccabi Netanya 11977–78
Maccabi Haifa 11990–91
Beitar Jerusalem 12007–08

Performance by city

The 15 title-winning clubs have come from a total of nine cities. The most successful city is Tel Aviv.

Titles won by city (%)

  Tel Aviv – 39 (48%)
  Haifa – 16 (17%)
  Jerusalem – 7 (9%)
  Petah Tikva – 6 (8%)
  Netanya – 5 (6%)
  Beersheba – 5 (6%)
  Ramat Gan – 3 (4%)
  Kfar Saba – 1 (1%)
  Kiryat Shmona – 1 (1%)
CityTitlesTitle Winning Clubs
Tel Aviv 39 Maccabi Tel Aviv (25), Hapoel Tel Aviv (13), Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv (1)
Haifa 16 Maccabi Haifa (15), Hapoel Haifa (1)
Jerusalem 7 Beitar Jerusalem (6), British Police (1)
Petah Tikva 6 Hapoel Petah Tikva (6)
Netanya 5 Maccabi Netanya (5)
Beersheba 5 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (5)
Ramat Gan 3 Hakoah Ramat Gan (2), Hapoel Ramat Gan (1)
Kfar Saba 1 Hapoel Kfar Saba (1)
Kiryat Shmona 1 Kiryat Shmona (1)

Performance by district

The Israeli championship has been won by 15 clubs from six districts. The most successful district is Tel Aviv District.

District [25] TitlesTitle Winning Clubs
Tel Aviv 42 Maccabi Tel Aviv (25), Hapoel Tel Aviv (13), Hakoah Ramat Gan (2), Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv (1), Hapoel Ramat Gan (1)
Haifa 16 Maccabi Haifa (15), Hapoel Haifa (1)
Center 12 Hapoel Petah Tikva (6), Maccabi Netanya (5), Hapoel Kfar Saba (1)
Jerusalem 7 Beitar Jerusalem (6), British Police (1)
South 5 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (5)
North 1 Kiryat Shmona (1)

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 Because of the inconsistent league programme during the 1930s and 1940s, controversy remains concerning the number of titles won by Hapoel Tel Aviv during that period. The 1934–35 championship was abandoned with Hapoel Tel Aviv leading the standings. [9] The IFA lists the title on its website. [7] [10] The 1937–38 league season was also abandoned long before its end because of the Arab revolt in Palestine, once more with Hapoel Tel Aviv top of the table. As with the unfinished 1934–35 title, the Israel Football Association today lists the club as having won the 1937–38 crown. Counting both of these titles, Hapoel have five Palestine League championships and 13 in total, [10] but FIFA and UEFA only credit the club with four pre-1948 titles, giving an overall total of 12. [11] [12] The club itself claims to have won 13 titles, five before independence and eight afterwards. [13] This figure is corroborated by the Israel Football Association and Ynet . [10] [14]
  2. ↑ The competition started on 3 October 1930 and was abandoned in November 1930 as the High Commissioner ordered the British clubs to stop playing Jewish clubs due to violent incidents in matches.
  3. ↑ The Hapoel teams withdrew from the PFA and a league was held with Maccabi teams only. The competition was abandoned when Hapoel rejoined the PFA. [2]
  4. ↑ No national championship was held, and instead regional leagues took place in Tel Aviv (two divisions), Sharon and Judah areas. Maccabi Tel Aviv won the Tel Aviv district league and was recognized as champions by the IFA. [15] [16] Beitar Netanya and Maccabi Rehovot won the other regional leagues.
  5. ↑ Due to disagreements between Maccabi and Hapoel the league wasn't played. Each sport association held its own league, with Maccabi Petah Tikva winning the Maccabi League and Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Raanana winning the Southern and Samaria divisions of the Hapoel League, respectively. [2]
  6. ↑ The league was played in three regional divisions, in Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, although the Haifa division was cancelled after few weeks. The two other division required over a year to finish, and a championship playoff was played with Homenetmen (Jerusalem winners), Maccabi Rishon LeZion (Tel Aviv winners) and Maccabi Tel Aviv (Tel Aviv runners-up) participating. Maccabi Tel Aviv won the playoff and the title. [2] [5] [10] [17]
  7. ↑ As the previous season was still being played during the 1942-43 football season, no new league was played.
  8. ↑ Although the league was designated as a Wartime football league and not as a national league, the IFA recognizes the title for Hapoel Tel Aviv. [10]
  9. ↑ Two regional leagues were held instead of a national championship. Beitar Tel Aviv finished top of the Southern District league while Hapoel Tel Aviv won in the Northern District. [5] [18] The IFA recognize both team as league champions for this season. [10]
  10. ↑ The Maccabi teams withdrew from the PFA and a league was held with Hapoel teams only. The competition was abandoned when Maccabi rejoined the PFA. [2]
  11. ↑ The league was abandoned due to the outbreak of the 1947–1949 Palestine war. The IFA list the league leaders at the time of abandonment, Nordia Tel Aviv as champions for this season. [10]
  12. ↑ The league was formed as a substitution to the Palestine League which was abandoned due to the 1947–1949 Palestine war. The league was abandoned after only a handful of matches were played. The IFA list the league leaders at the time of abandonment, Nordia Tel Aviv as champions for this season. [10]
  13. ↑ During the 1966–68 "double season", Mordechai Spiegler scored 38 goals; counting the two-halves of the season separately, he scored 15 during 1966–67 and 23 during 1967–68. [8]
  14. ↑ Two regional leagues were held instead of a national championship. Beitar Tel Aviv finished top of the Southern District league while Hapoel Tel Aviv won in the Northern District. [5] [18] The IFA recognize both team as league champions for this season. [10]
  15. ↑ In 1944–45, two regional leagues were held instead of a national championship. Beitar Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Avivwon the two divisions, with Maccabi Rehovot and Hapoel Ramat Gan finishing as runners-up. [5] [18]
  16. ↑ British Police ceased to exist along its parent organisation, the Palestine Police Force, in 1948.
  17. ↑ In 1944–45, two regional leagues were held instead of a national championship. Beitar Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Avivwon the two divisions, with Maccabi Rehovot and Hapoel Ramat Gan finishing as runners-up. [5] [18]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli Premier League</span> Top-division mens association football league in Israel

The Israeli Premier League is a professional association football (soccer) league, that operates as the highest-division of the Israeli football league. This top tier league is contested by 14 clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with its second division Liga Leumit. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing between 33 and 36 matches each, totalling 240 matches in every season.

The 2008–09 Israeli Premier League season began on 30 August 2008, and ended on 1 June 2009. Beitar Jerusalem were the defending champions, having won their 6th league title the previous year.

The 1954–55 Liga Alef season was the last in which it was the Israel's top football league, as the following season it was replaced by Liga Leumit and became the country's second tier. It consisted of 14 clubs, the 12 from the top division in the previous season and two promoted clubs. It used two points for a win and one for a draw.

The 2009–10 Israeli Premier League was the 11th season since its introduction in 1999 and the 68th season of top-tier football in Israel. It began on 22 August 2009 and ended on 15 May 2010 with the last matches of the playoff round.

The 2010–11 Israeli Premier League was the twelfth season since its introduction in 1999 and the 69th season of top-tier football in Israel. It began on 21 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. Hapoel Tel Aviv were the defending champions.

The 2009–10 Israeli Noar Leumit League was the sixteenth season since its introduction in 1994. It is the top-tier football in Israel for teenagers between the ages 18–20. It began on 14 August 2009 and ended on 29 May 2010.

The Palestine League, also known as The Eretz Israel League, was an association football league during the British Mandate of Palestine, which was contested from 1928 to 1948. It was organised by the Eretz Israel Football Association, and is therefore regarded as the original incarnation of the modern Israeli top flight league, which has existed since 1948.

The 2010–11 Israeli Noar Leumit League was the seventeenth season since its introduction in 1994. It is the top-tier football in Israel for teenagers between the ages 18–20. It began on 21 August 2010 and ended on 28 May 2011.

The Israel Super Cup, also known as the Champion of Champions, is an Israeli association football club competition played as a single match between the winner of the latest Israeli top league champions and the winner of the latest Israel State Cup. If a team won both the championship and the state cup, their designated rival for the Super Cup match was the league runner-up.

The 2011–12 Israeli Premier League was the thirteenth season since its introduction in 1999 and the 70th season of top-tier football in Israel. It began on 20 August 2011 and ended on 12 May 2012. Maccabi Haifa were the defending champions.

The 2013–14 Israeli Premier League was the fifteenth season since its introduction in 1999 and the 71st season of top-tier football in Israel. It began on 24 August 2013 and ended on 17 May 2014. Maccabi Tel Aviv were the defending champions, having won their second Premier League title, and 19th championship last season. They successfully defended their title this season.

The 1966–67 Israel State Cup was the 28th season of Israel's nationwide football cup competition and the 13th after the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

The 2015–16 Toto Cup Al was the 31st season of the third-important football tournament in Israel since its introduction and the 11th tournament involving Israeli Premier League clubs only.

The 1954–55 season was the seventh season of competitive football in Israel and the 29th season under the Israeli Football Association, established in 1928, during the British Mandate.

The 1955–56 season was the eighth season of competitive football in Israel and the 30th season under the Israeli Football Association, established in 1928, during the British Mandate.

The 1943 Palestine Wartime Cup was a special edition of the Palestine Cup, declared to be separate from the main Palestine Cup competition with its own trophy However, the IFA recognize the title as part of the main competition.

The 1943–44 season was the 17th season of competitive football in the British Mandate for Palestine under the Eretz Israel Football Association.

The 1955–56 Hapoel Petah Tikva season was the club's 21st season since its establishment in 1935, and 8th since the establishment of the State of Israel.

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ Kaufman, Haim; Galily, Yair (January 2008). "The early development of Hebrew football in Eretz Israel, 1910–1928" (PDF). Soccer & Society. 9 (1). Israel Football Association: 11. doi:10.1080/14660970701616779. S2CID   145680671. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 May 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rabl, Eran (2022). ליגת ההתאחדות לכדורגל בתקופת המנדט הבריטי 1930-1948 [The FA Football League During the British Mandate 1930-1948](PDF) (in Hebrew). Nof HaGalil.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ↑ "About the Club". Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Stokkermans, Karel (21 April 2011). "Coventric!". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bleicher (May 2011).
  6. ↑ Goldberg, Asher (28 April 2011). "Meet the first champions – the British Police of Jerusalem" (in Hebrew). Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  7. 1 2 Goldberg, Asher (29 July 2010). "The Tel Aviv Derbies in December 1935 and '36" (in Hebrew). Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  8. 1 2 Bleicher (2008).
  9. ↑ "התאחדות א"י לכדור רגל" [Eretz Israel Football Association]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv. 17 May 1935. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "List of Champions" (in Hebrew). Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  11. ↑ "Tamuz: Israeli heart, Nigerian blood". FIFA. 21 April 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  12. ↑ "Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C." UEFA. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  13. ↑ "Club Records". Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. Archived from the original on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  14. ↑ ול. בוץ, א עין דור (15 May 2010). "Hapoel Tel Aviv win the championship". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  15. ↑ "ההתאחדות יישרה קו: כוכב חמישי למכבי ת"א" [The F.A. Agreed: A Fifth Star to Maccabi T.A.]. one.co.il (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv. 26 May 2024. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  16. ↑ "ההסבר: הסיבה שמכבי קיבלה את הכוכב החמישי" [The Explanation: The Reason Maccabi Got the Fifth Star]. Sport5.co.il (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv. 26 May 2024. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  17. ↑ "Titles" (in Hebrew). Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Shohat, Elisha (2006). 100 Years of Football 1906-2006. pp. 132–134.
  19. ↑ Last, Jeremy (13 March 2008). "Sporting Heroes: No. 49 Nahum Stelmach". The Jerusalem Post . Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  20. ↑ Regev, Noam; Glazer, Yossi (10 February 2011). "Double season, sextet and two meetings in the national league. Nostalgia for eighth cup final" (in Hebrew). Hapoel Haifa F.C. Archived from the original on 25 August 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  21. ↑ Sinai, Allon (20 July 2011). "Local Soccer: Season schedule released". The Jerusalem Post . Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  22. ↑ Bleicher, Yaniv (13 September 2009). "Israel 2000/01". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  23. ↑ Adar, Shaul (October 2010). "Walid objection". When Saturday Comes . Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  24. ↑ Maccabi Haifa's final match of the 2000–01 season, at home against Maccabi Tel Aviv, was abandoned after 82 minutes with Maccabi Haifa 3–2 ahead when supporters attempted to invade the pitch, resulting in a crush which injured 41 people. Maccabi Tel Aviv were awarded a 2–0 victory. [22] [23]
  25. ↑ Helders, Stefan. "Israel: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazetteer. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2011.

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