Liga Leumit Explained

Pixels:180
Country:Israel
Confed:UEFA (Europe)
Founded: (as 1st tier)
(as 2nd tier)
Teams:16
Promotion:Premier League
Relegation:Liga Alef
Levels:2 (1999–present)
1 (19551999)
Domest Cup:State Cup
Toto Cup (Leumit)
Champions:Ironi Kiryat Shmona (3rd title)
Season:2023–24
Tv:Sport 5
Current:2024–25 Liga Leumit

The Israeli Liga Leumit (Hebrew: הליגה הלאומית, HaLiga HaLeumit,) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League.

Structure

There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the two lowest-placed teams are relegated to Liga Alef while the two highest-placed teams from Liga Alef are promoted in their place. The two highest-placed Liga Leumit teams are promoted to the Israeli Premier League while the bottom two teams from Israeli Premier League are relegated in their place.

The participating clubs were first play a conventional round-robin schedule for a total of 30 matches, with all points accumulated by the clubs are halved.

Following this, the top eight teams will first play in a promotion playoff. To determine the promoted teams. and the eight clubs play a single round-robin schedule.

The Israeli State Cup winners qualify for the third qualifying round of the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.

In addition, the bottom eight teams play out to avoid two relegation spots.

Broadcast rights

Television

Since the 2010–11 season, one match is broadcast live on Sport +5 LIVE channel on Friday or Saturday afternoons.

History

Liga Leumit came into existence at the start of the 1955–56 season, replacing Liga Alef as the top division in Israeli football. However, it was usurped as the top flight in the 1999–2000 season, when it was replaced by the Premier League. Since then it has operated as the second tier in the Israeli football league system.

Current Liga Leumit clubs

The following clubs are participating in the 2024–25 season:

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Past seasons champions

SeasonPromoted to First DivisionRelegated from First DivisionPromoted from Third DivisionRelegated to Third Division
1999–2000Tzafririm Holon Maccabi Herzliya
Hapoel Kfar Saba
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Ramat Gan GivatayimHapoel Ashkelon
2000–2001Maccabi Kafr Kanna
Hapoel Ra'anana
Hapoel Jerusalem
Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata
2001–2002Hapoel Kfar Saba
Bnei Yehuda
Hapoel Nazareth Illit
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hakoah Ramat Gan
Hapoel Beit She'an
2002–2003Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Bnei Sakhnin
Hapoel Kfar Saba
Ironi Rishon LeZion
Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan
Beitar Be'er Sheva
Maccabi Kafr Kanna
2003–2004Hapoel Haifa
Hapoel Nazareth Illit
Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Hapoel Acre
Ironi Ramat HaSharon
Hapoel Ramat Gan
Maccabi Kiryat Gat
2004–2005Hapoel Kfar Saba
Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Hapoel Haifa
Hapoel Ashkelon
Maccabi Be'er Sheva
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Tzafririm Holon
2005–2006Maccabi Herzliya
Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan
Bnei Sakhnin
Hapoel Nazareth Illit
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Hapoel Bnei Lod
Ironi Rishon LeZion
Maccabi Be'er Sheva
2006–2007Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Bnei Sakhnin
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan
Hapoel Rishon LeZion
Hapoel Ramat Gan
Hapoel Ashkelon
Hapoel Jerusalem
2007–2008Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Maccabi Herzliya
Hapoel Kfar Saba
Hapoel Jerusalem
Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata
2008–2009Hapoel Haifa
Hapoel Acre
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Hapoel Ramat Gan
Hapoel Ra'anana
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Hapoel Ashkelon
Ironi Rishon LeZion
Hapoel Marmorek
Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv
Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam
Hapoel Nazareth Illit
Ahva Arraba
Maccabi Be'er Sheva
Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata
2009–2010Hapoel Ra'anana
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Hapoel Herzliya
Maccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Marmorek
2010–2011Ironi Ramat HaSharon
Hapoel Rishon LeZion
Hapoel Ashkelon
Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim
Hapoel Jerusalem
Maccabi Umm al-Fahm
Maccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli
Ahva Arraba
2011–2012Hapoel Ramat GanIroni Rishon LeZion
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Maccabi YavneIroni Bat Yam
Hapoel Herzliya
Maccabi Be'er Sheva
2012–2013Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim
Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Afula
Hapoel Jerusalem
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Hapoel Kfar Saba
2013–2014Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Ironi Ramat HaSharon
Bnei Yehuda
Hapoel Kfar Saba
Ironi Kiryat Gat
Ironi Tiberias
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Ashkelon
Maccabi Umm al-Fahm
2014–2015Bnei Yehuda
Hapoel Kfar Saba
F.C. Ashdod
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Ashkelon
Ironi Tiberias
Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan
2015–2016F.C. Ashdod
Hapoel Ashkelon
Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Acre
Ironi Nesher
Maccabi Sha'arayim
Maccabi Yavne
Maccabi Kiryat Gat
2016–2017Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Acre
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Kfar Saba
Hapoel Hadera
Hapoel Marmorek
Maccabi Sha'arayim
Hapoel Jerusalem
2017–2018Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Hadera
Hapoel Ashkelon
Hapoel Acre
Hapoel Iksal
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Maccabi Herzliya
Ironi Nesher
2018–2019Hapoel Kfar Saba
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Bnei Sakhnin
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Umm al-Fahm
F.C. Kafr Qasim
Hapoel Iksal
Hapoel Marmorek
2019–2020Hapoel Kfar Shalem
Hapoel Iksal
Hapoel Ashkelon
Hapoel Bnei Lod
2020–2021Hapoel Nof HaGalil
Hapoel Jerusalem
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv
Hapoel Kfar Saba
Hapoel Ashdod
Maccabi Bnei Reineh
Hapoel Iksal
Hapoel Kfar Shalem
2021–2022Maccabi Bnei Reineh
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Hapoel Nof HaGalil
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Ironi Tiberias
Maccabi Jaffa
2022–2023Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Maccabi Herzliya
Ihud Bnei Shefa-'Amr
2023–2024Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Ironi Tiberias
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Ihud Bnei Shefa-'Amr
Sektzia Nes Tziona

Record of finishing positions of clubs in the Liga Leumit

Table correct as at the end of the 2023–24 Israeli Liga Leumit season.

ClubBest result99–0000–0101–0202–0303–0404–0505–0606–0707–0808–0909–1010–1111–1212–1313–1414–1515–1616–1717–1818–1919–2020–2121–2222–2323–24
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth1st (x1)219108bgcolor=gold11189bgcolor=gold6941047786111311915
Hapoel Rishon LeZion2nd (x1)1810611118bgcolor=gold261110121031254141213
Maccabi Herzliya1st (x1)1793597bgcolor=gold17104371013513157
Hapoel Ramat Gan1st (x1)184107126bgcolor=gold4bgcolor=gold156341383612911
Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon1st (x1)17101098115bgcolor=gold11110911138713116
Hapoel Nof HaGalil1st (x1)184bgcolor=gold271271112381413147311bgcolor=gold1144
Hapoel Jerusalem2nd (x1)15123645121015641291415bgcolor=gold2
Hapoel Bnei Lod2nd (x1)14105913828338710915
Hapoel Kfar Saba1st (x3)158bgcolor=gold14bgcolor=gold1833716bgcolor=gold214bgcolor=gold16714
Hapoel Ra'anana2nd (x1)139859967bgcolor=gold555bgcolor=gold21015
Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan1st (x1)1365785bgcolor=gold2bgcolor=gold1111413111316
Beitar Tel Aviv3rd (x1)13121081471293477516
Hapoel Petah Tikva2nd (x3)11bgcolor=gold25bgcolor=gold26691010155bgcolor=gold2
Hapoel Ironi Acre2nd (x2)1237510bgcolor=gold2bgcolor=gold21412131159
Hapoel Ashkelon2nd (x2)1010811bgcolor=gold291315bgcolor=gold2616
Hapoel Afula4th (x1)1164111185149101012
Sektzia Nes Tziona2nd (x2)8461115bgcolor=gold23bgcolor=gold215
Maccabi Kiryat Gat2nd (x2)62bgcolor=gold2107516
Bnei Sakhnin2nd (x3)6476bgcolor=gold2bgcolor=gold2bgcolor=gold2
Hapoel Be'er Sheva1st (x1)67bgcolor=gold1444bgcolor=gold3
Hapoel Haifa1st (x2)66bgcolor=gold1633bgcolor=gold1
Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem4th (x3)61445544
Hapoel Tzafririm Holon1st (x1)5bgcolor=gold11191112
Ironi Kiryat Shmona1st (x3)6383bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1
Beitar Be'er Sheva3rd (x1)453412
Maccabi Be'er Sheva12th (x1)412141215
Maccabi Yavne8th (x1)499815
Bnei Yehuda1st (x1)5bgcolor=gold2bgcolor=gold1883
Maccabi Netanya1st (x2)3bgcolor=gold2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1
Hapoel Beit She'an6th (x1)38612
Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam6th (x1)361314
F.C. Kafr Qasim3rd (x1)561231310
Hapoel Umm al-Fahm4th (x1)5914748
Hapoel Marmorek12th (x1)3161215
Maccabi Umm al-Fahm10th (x1)3101216
Maccabi Petah Tikva1st (x3)3bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1
Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata11th (x1)21112
Maccabi Kafr Kanna5th (x1)2511
Ahva Arraba9th (x1)2916
Hapoel Herzliya7th (x1)2716
Ironi Nesher12th (x1)21216
Hapoel Iksal8th (x1)2168
Maccabi Acre3rd (x1)13
Hapoel Tel Aviv1st (x1)1bgcolor=gold1
F.C Ashdod1st (x1)2bgcolor=gold1
Hapoel Hadera2nd (x1)1bgcolor=gold2
Maccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli15th (x1)115
Ironi Tiberias2nd (x1)3153bgcolor=gold2
Maccabi Sha'arayim16th (x1)116
Hapoel Kfar Shalem16th (x1)116
Maccabi Bnei Reineh1st (x1)1bgcolor=gold1
Hapoel Ashdod4th (x1)2416
Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa5th (x1)265
Ihud Bney Shfaram16th (x1)116

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