The Israeli Liga Leumit (, 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 2026–27 season: Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. Ashdod F.C. Kafr Qasim F.C. Kiryat Yam Hapoel Acre Hapoel Afula Hapoel Kfar Saba Hapoel Kfar ShalemHapoel Ra'anana Hapoel Rishon LeZion Ironi Modi'in Maccabi Akhi Nazareth Maccabi Bnei Reineh Maccabi Herzliya Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Gat Maccabi Jaffa
Past seasons champions SeasonPromoted to First DivisionRelegated from First DivisionPromoted from Third DivisionRelegated to Third Division1999–2000Tzafririm Holon Maccabi Herzliya Hapoel Kfar Saba Hapoel Jerusalem Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim Hapoel Ashkelon2000–2001Hapoel Be'er Sheva Maccabi Kiryat Gat Tzafririm Holon Bnei Yehuda Maccabi Kafr Kanna Hapoel Ra'ananaHapoel Jerusalem Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata2001–2002Hapoel Kfar Saba Bnei YehudaMaccabi Kiryat Gat Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Nazareth Illit Hapoel JerusalemHakoah Ramat Gan Hapoel Beit She'an2002–2003Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Bnei Sakhnin Hapoel Kfar Saba Ironi Rishon LeZion Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hakoakh Amidar Ramat GanBeitar Be'er Sheva Maccabi Kafr Kanna2003–2004Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Nazareth Illit Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Hapoel Acre Ironi Ramat HaSharon Hapoel Ramat Gan Maccabi Kiryat Gat2004–2005Hapoel Kfar Saba Maccabi Netanya Hapoel Be'er Sheva Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Ashkelon Maccabi Be'er Sheva Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Tzafririm Holon2005–2006Maccabi Herzliya Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan Bnei Sakhnin Hapoel Nazareth Illit Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Hapoel Bnei Lod Ironi Rishon LeZion Maccabi Be'er Sheva2006–2007Ironi Kiryat Shmona Bnei SakhninHapoel Petah Tikva Hakoakh Amidar Ramat GanHapoel Rishon LeZion Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Jerusalem2007–2008Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan Hapoel Petah Tikva Maccabi Herzliya Hapoel Kfar SabaHapoel Jerusalem Maccabi Ironi Kiryat AtaIroni Rishon LeZion Hapoel Nazareth Illit 2008–2009Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Acre Hapoel Be'er Sheva Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Ra'anana Maccabi Ahi NazarethIroni Kiryat Shmona Hakoakh Amidar Ramat GanSektzia 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 Ata2009–2010Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Ra'anana Maccabi Ahi NazarethHapoel Herzliya Maccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli Hapoel Jerusalem Hapoel Marmorek2010–2011Ironi Ramat HaSharon Hapoel Rishon LeZionHapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Ramat Gan GivatayimHapoel Jerusalem Maccabi Umm al-FahmMaccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli Ahva Arraba2011–2012Hapoel Ramat GanIroni Rishon LeZion Maccabi Petah Tikva Hapoel Petah TikvaMaccabi YavneIroni Bat Yam Hapoel Herzliya Maccabi Be'er Sheva2012–2013Maccabi Petah Tikva Hapoel Ra'anana Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim Maccabi NetanyaHapoel Afula Hapoel JerusalemSektzia Nes Tziona Hapoel Kfar Saba2013–2014Maccabi Netanya Hapoel Petah TikvaIroni Ramat HaSharon Bnei YehudaHapoel Kfar Saba Ironi Kiryat Gat Ironi TiberiasHapoel Jerusalem Hapoel AshkelonMaccabi Umm al-Fahm2014–2015Bnei Yehuda Hapoel Kfar SabaF.C. Ashdod Hapoel Petah TikvaHapoel Jerusalem Hapoel AshkelonIroni Tiberias Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan2015–2016F.C. Ashdod Hapoel AshkelonMaccabi Netanya Hapoel AcreIroni Nesher Maccabi Sha'arayimMaccabi Yavne Maccabi Kiryat Gat2016–2017Maccabi Netanya Hapoel AcreHapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Kfar SabaHapoel Hadera Hapoel MarmorekMaccabi Sha'arayim Hapoel Jerusalem2017–2018Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel HaderaHapoel Ashkelon Hapoel AcreHapoel Iksal Sektzia Nes TzionaMaccabi Herzliya Ironi Nesher2018–2019Hapoel Kfar Saba Sektzia Nes TzionaBnei Sakhnin Maccabi Petah TikvaHapoel Umm al-Fahm F.C. Kafr QasimHapoel Iksal Hapoel Marmorek2019–2020Maccabi Petah Tikva Bnei Sakhnin Sektzia Nes Tziona Hapoel Ra'anana Hapoel Kfar Shalem Hapoel IksalHapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Bnei Lod2020–2021Hapoel Nof HaGalilHapoel JerusalemBnei Yehuda Tel AvivHapoel Kfar SabaHapoel AshdodMaccabi Bnei ReinehHapoel IksalHapoel Kfar Shalem2021–2022Maccabi Bnei ReinehSektzia Nes TzionaHapoel Nof HaGalilMaccabi Petah TikvaIroni TiberiasMaccabi JaffaBeitar Tel Aviv Bat YamHapoel Ra'anana 2022–2023Maccabi Petah TikvaHapoel Petah TikvaSektzia Nes TzionaIroni Kiryat ShmonaMaccabi HerzliyaIhud Bnei Shefa-'AmrHapoel AshdodMaccabi Ahi Nazareth 2023–2024Ironi Kiryat ShmonaIroni TiberiasHapoel Petah TikvaHapoel Tel AvivHapoel Kfar Shalem Hapoel Ra'anana Ihud Bnei Shefa-'AmrSektzia Nes Tziona2024–2025Hapoel Tel AvivHapoel Petah TikvaMaccabi Petah TikvaHapoel HaderaIroni Modi'in F.C. Kiryat Yam Ironi Ramat HaSharonHapoel Umm al-Fahm2025–2026Maccabi Petah Tikva Hapoel Ramat Gan GivatayimF.C. Ashdod Maccabi Bnei Reineh Maccabi Kiryat GatMaccabi Ahi NazarethHapoel HaderaHapoel Nof HaGalil
In bold team that won the Championship
Record of finishing positions of clubs in the Liga Leumit
Table correct as at the end of the 2023–24 Israeli Liga Leumit season.
Club Best result 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23 23–24 24–25 25–26 26–27 Maccabi Ahi Nazareth 1st (x1) 22 9 10 81 11 8 96 9 4 10 4 7 7 8 6 11 13 11 9 15 Hapoel Rishon LeZion 2nd (x1) 21 10 6 11 11 82 6 11 10 12 10 3 12 5 4 14 12 13 8 8 Maccabi Herzliya 1st (x1) 20 9 3 5 9 71 7 10 4 3 7 10 13 5 13 15 7 5 3 Hapoel Ramat Gan 1st (x1) 20 4 10 7 12 64 1 5 6 3 4 13 8 3 6 12 9 11 32 Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon 1st (x1) 18 10 10 9 8 11 51 11 10 9 11 13 8 7 13 11 6 11 Hapoel Nof HaGalil 1st (x1) 20 42 7 12 7 11 12 3 8 14 13 14 7 3 111 14 4 14 15 Hapoel Jerusalem 2nd (x1) 15 12 3 6 4 5 12 10 15 6 4 12 9 14 15 2 Hapoel Bnei Lod 2nd (x1) 14 10 5 9 13 8 2 8 3 3 8 7 10 9 15 Hapoel Kfar Saba 1st (x3) 18 81 41 8 3 3 7 16 2 141 6 7 14 7 7 Hapoel Ra'anana 2nd (x1) 16 9 8 5 9 9 6 75 5 52 10 15 12 10 Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan 1st (x1) 13 6 5 7 8 52 1 11 14 13 11 13 16 Beitar Tel Aviv 3rd (x1) 13 12 10 8 14 7 12 9 3 4 7 7 5 16 Hapoel Petah Tikva 2nd (x3) 12 2 52 6 6 9 10 10 15 52 2 Hapoel Ironi Acre 2nd (x2) 15 3 7 5 102 2 14 12 13 11 5 9 9 14 Hapoel Ashkelon 2nd (x2) 10 10 8 11 2 9 13 15 2 6 16 Hapoel Afula 4th (x1) 14 6 4 11 11 8 5 14 9 10 10 12 15 11 Sektzia Nes Tziona 2nd (x2) 8 4 6 11 15 2 32 15 Maccabi Kiryat Gat 2nd (x2) 7 2 2 10 7 5 16 Bnei Sakhnin 2nd (x3) 6 4 7 6 2 2 2 Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1st (x1) 6 71 4 4 43 Hapoel Haifa 1st (x2) 6 61 6 3 31 Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem 4th (x3) 6 14 4 5 5 4 4 Hapoel Tzafririm Holon 1st (x1) 5 1 11 9 11 12 Ironi Kiryat Shmona 1st (x3) 6 3 8 31 1 1 Beitar Be'er Sheva 3rd (x1) 4 5 3 4 12 Maccabi Be'er Sheva 12th (x1) 4 12 14 12 15 Maccabi Yavne 8th (x1) 4 9 9 8 15 Bnei Yehuda 1st (x1) 8 2 1 8 8 3 6 4 Maccabi Netanya 1st (x2) 3 2 1 1 Hapoel Beit She'an 6th (x1) 3 8 6 12 Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam 6th (x1) 3 6 13 14 F.C. Kafr Qasim 3rd (x1) 8 6 12 3 13 10 10 12 Hapoel Umm al-Fahm 4th (x1) 6 9 14 7 4 8 16 Hapoel Marmorek 12th (x1) 3 16 12 15 Maccabi Umm al-Fahm 10th (x1) 3 10 12 16 Maccabi Petah Tikva 1st (x4) 4 1 1 1 1 Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata 11th (x1) 2 11 12 Maccabi Kafr Kanna 5th (x1) 2 5 11 Ahva Arraba 9th (x1) 2 9 16 Hapoel Herzliya 7th (x1) 2 7 16 Ironi Nesher 12th (x1) 2 12 16 Hapoel Iksal 8th (x1) 2 16 8 Maccabi Acre 3rd (x1) 1 3 Hapoel Tel Aviv 1st (x2) 2 1 1 F.C Ashdod 1st (x1) 2 1 Hapoel Hadera 2nd (x1) 2 2 16 Maccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli 15th (x1) 1 15 Ironi Tiberias 2nd (x1) 3 15 3 2 Maccabi Sha'arayim 16th (x1) 1 16 Hapoel Kfar Shalem 4th (x1) 4 16 4 5 Maccabi Bnei Reineh 1st (x1) 2 1 Hapoel Ashdod 4th (x1) 2 4 16 Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa 5th (x1) 5 6 5 13 9 Ihud Bnei Shef-'Amr 16th (x1) 1 16 Ironi Modi'in 13th (x1) 2 13 F.C. Kiryat Yam 6th (x1) 2 6
References
External links Israel Football Association Liga Leumit Soccerway