The 2015–16 Liga Leumit was the 17th season as second tier since its re-alignment in 1999 and the 74th season of second-tier football in Israel.
A total of sixteen teams were contesting in the league, including eleven sides from the 2014–15 season, the three promoted teams from 2014–15 Liga Alef and the two relegated teams from 2014–15 Israeli Premier League.
Changes from 2014–15 season
Team changes
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv and Hapoel Kfar Saba, were promoted to the 2015–16 Israeli Premier League.
Hapoel Petah Tikva and FC Ashdod were directly relegated to the 2015–16 Liga Leumit after finishing the 2014–15 Israeli Premier League season in the bottom two places.
Hakoah Ramat Gan, and Ironi Tiberias were directly relegated to Liga Alef after finishing in the previous season in last two league places. They were replaced by Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem and Hapoel Ashkelon who finished first their respective 2014–15 Liga Alef.
Overview
Stadia and locations Club Home City Stadium Capacity Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla Tel Aviv and Ramla Ramla Municipal Stadium 2,000 F.C. Ashdod Ashdod Yud-Alef Stadium 7,800 Hapoel Afula Afula Afula Illit Stadium 3,000 Hapoel Ashkelon Ashkelon Sala Stadium 5,250 Hapoel Bnei Lod Lod Lod Municipal Stadium 3,000 Hapoel Jerusalem Jerusalem Teddy Stadium 31,733 Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem Jerusalem Teddy Stadium 31,733 Hapoel Nazareth Illit Nazareth Illit Green Stadium 4,000Hapoel Petah Tikva Petah Tikva HaMoshava Stadium 11,500 Hapoel Ramat HaSharon Ramat HaSharon Grundman Stadium 4,300 Hapoel Ramat Gan Ramat Gan Ramat Gan Stadium 13,370 Hapoel Rishon LeZion Rishon LeZion Haberfeld Stadium 6,000 Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Nazareth Ilut Stadium 4,932 Maccabi Herzliya Herzliya Herzliya Municipal Stadium 8,100 Maccabi Kiryat Gat Kiryat Gat Sala Stadium 5,250 Maccabi Yavne Yavne Ness Ziona Stadium 3,500
The club is playing their home games at a neutral venue because their own ground does not meet Premier League requirements.While Kiryat Gat Municipal Stadium is under construction. Maccabi Kiryat Gat will host their home games in Sala Stadium.While Yavne Municipal Stadium is under construction. Maccabi Yavne will host their home games in Ness Ziona Stadium.
Regular season
Playoffs
Top playoff
Bottom playoff
Relegation playoff
Relegation playoff The 14th-placed Hapoel Jerusalem faced 2015–16 Liga Alef promotion play-offs winner, F.C. Kafr Qasim. The matches took place on May 27 and 31, 2016.
Hapoel Jerusalem won 3–1 on aggregate and remained in Liga Leumit. F.C. Kafr Qasim remained in Liga Alef.
Season statistics
Scoring
RankScorerClubGoals1 Jordan FaucherMaccabi Herzliya212 Miroslav AntonovMaccabi Yavne16 Kpéhi BrossouHapoel Ramat Gan Idan ShrikiHapoel Ashkelon5 Ben AzubelHapoel Petah Tikva156 Or InbromF.C. Ashdod147 Ya'akov BerihonHapoel Rishon LeZion13 Branko MihajlovićHapoel Petah Tikva Rotem ShmulBeitar Tel Aviv Ramla Yossi ShivhonHapoel Ramat HaSharon Source: Israel Football Association
Discipline Most yellow cards: 13 Salem Abu Siam (Hapoel Bnei Lod) Daniel Solomon (Maccabi Kiryat Gat) Most red cards: 3 Israel Rosh (Hapoel Ramat Gan) Uri Peso (Hapoel Petah Tikva) Ryan Adeleye (Hapoel Jerusalem)
See also 2015–16 Israel State Cup
References