1961–62 in Israeli football explained

Country:	Israel
Season:	1961–62
Division1:	Liga Leumit
Champions1:	Hapoel Petah Tikva
Division2:	Liga Alef
Champions2:	Hakoah Tel Aviv
Division3:	Liga Bet
Champions3:	Hapoel Safed Hapoel Hadera Hapoel Lod Hapoel Holon
Domestic:	State Cup
Dchampions:	Maccabi Haifa
Prevseason:	1960–61
Nextseason:	1962–63
Flagicon:	yes

The 1961–62 season was the 14th season of competitive football in Israel and the 36th season under the Israeli Football Association, established in 1928, during the British Mandate.

Review and Events

• The national team completed their involvement in the 1962 World Cup qualification, playing Italy during October 1961. The team stunned Italy in the first match by taking a 2–0 lead in the first half of the first match, played at Ramat Gan Stadium, only to concede 4 goals in the second half,^[1] and then losing 0–6 in the second leg.^[2]
• At the end of the season, Liga Alef was expanded from 14 clubs to 16 clubs, as 2 clubs relegated from the league at the end of the season and the 4 winners of Liga Bet promoted to Liga Alef. This also meant that at the end of the season the 8 relegated teams from Liga Bet were replaced by 10 promoted clubs from Liga Gimel.

Domestic leagues

Promotion and relegation

The following promotions and relegations took place at the end of the season:

Promoted to Liga Leumit

• Hakoah Tel Aviv¹

Promoted to Liga Alef

• Hapoel Safed
• Hapoel Hadera
• Hapoel Lod
• Hapoel Holon

Promoted to Liga Bet

• Beitar Kiryat Shmona
• Beitar Binyamina
• Hapoel Bnei Nazareth
• Hapoel Dora Netanya
• Beitar Kiryat Ono
• Hapoel Givatayim
• ASA Jerusalem
• Beitar Harari Tel Aviv
• Hapoel Ofakim
• Hapoel Kiryat Gat

Relegated from Liga Leumit

• Maccabi Netanya

Relegated from Liga Alef

• Maccabi Hadera
• Hapoel Rehovot

Relegated from Liga Bet

• Hapoel Tel Hanan
• Hapoel Beit HaShita
• Hapoel Pardesiya
• HaCarmel Club Haifa
• Maccabi Jerusalem
• Hapoel Ein Karem
• Hapoel Bnei Zion
• Beitar Jaffa

1. Hakoah Tel Aviv merged with Maccabi Ramat Gan to form Hakoah Maccabi Ramat Gan. The merged club took Hakoah Tel Aviv's place in Liga Leumit.

Domestic cups

Israel State Cup

The 1961–62 Israel State Cup started on 12 February 1961, during the previous season, and was carried over the summer break and finished with the replayed final on 7 May 1962, in which Maccabi Haifa defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 5–2.

On 24 March 1962, the next season's competition began, and was carried over to the next season.

National Teams

National team

1962 World Cup qualification (UEFA Group 7, final round)

See main article: 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 7.

1961–62 matches

Notes and References

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ6Nhs5XmFs QWC 1962 Israel vs. Italy 2-4
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co-BqADlh78 QWC 1962 Italy vs. Israel 6-0 (04.11.1961)