The Israeli Liga Leumit (Hebrew: הליגה הלאומית, HaLiga HaLeumit, lit.'National League') 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.

Liga Leumit
Founded1955; 69 years ago (1955) (as 1st tier)
1999; 25 years ago (1999) (as 2nd tier)
CountryIsrael
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid2 (1999–present)
1 (19551999)
Promotion toPremier League
Relegation toLiga Alef
Domestic cup(s)State Cup
Toto Cup (Leumit)
Current championsIroni Kiryat Shmona (3rd title)
(2023–24)
TV partnersSport 5
Websiteofficial website
Current: 2024–25 Liga Leumit

Structure

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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

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Television

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

History

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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

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

Past seasons champions

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

Record of finishing positions of clubs in the Liga Leumit

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

Club Best result S 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
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth 1st (x1) 21 9 10 8 1 11 8 9 6 9 4 10 4 7 7 8 6 11 13 11 9 15
Hapoel Rishon LeZion 2nd (x1) 19 10 6 11 11 8 2 6 11 10 12 10 3 12 5 4 14 12 13
Maccabi Herzliya 1st (x1) 18 9 3 5 9 7 1 7 10 4 3 7 10 13 5 13 15 7
Hapoel Ramat Gan 1st (x1) 19 4 10 7 12 6 4 1 5 6 3 4 13 8 3 6 12 9 11
Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon 1st (x1) 18 10 10 9 8 11 5 1 11 10 9 11 13 8 7 13 11 6
Hapoel Nof HaGalil 1st (x1) 19 4 2 7 12 7 11 12 3 8 14 13 14 7 3 11 1 14 4
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) 16 8 1 4 1 8 3 3 7 16 2 14 1 6 7 14
Hapoel Ra'anana 2nd (x1) 14 9 8 5 9 9 6 7 5 5 5 2 10 15
Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan 1st (x1) 13 6 5 7 8 5 2 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 5 2 6 6 9 10 10 15 5 2
Hapoel Ironi Acre 2nd (x2) 13 3 7 5 10 2 2 14 12 13 11 5 9
Hapoel Ashkelon 2nd (x2) 10 10 8 11 2 9 13 15 2 6 16
Hapoel Afula 4th (x1) 12 6 4 11 11 8 5 14 9 10 10 12
Sektzia Nes Tziona 2nd (x2) 8 4 6 11 15 2 3 2 15
Maccabi Kiryat Gat 2nd (x2) 6 2 2 10 7 5 16
Bnei Sakhnin 2nd (x3) 6 4 7 6 2 2 2
Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1st (x1) 6 7 1 4 4 4 3
Hapoel Haifa 1st (x2) 6 6 1 6 3 3 1
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 3 1 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) 6 2 1 8 8 3
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) 6 6 12 3 13 10
Hapoel Umm al-Fahm 4th (x1) 6 9 14 7 4 8
Hapoel Marmorek 12th (x1) 3 16 12 15
Maccabi Umm al-Fahm 10th (x1) 3 10 12 16
Maccabi Petah Tikva 1st (x3) 3 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 (x1) 2 1
F.C Ashdod 1st (x1) 2 1
Hapoel Hadera 2nd (x1) 1 2
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 16th (x1) 2 16
Maccabi Bnei Reineh 1st (x1) 1 1
Hapoel Ashdod 4th (x1) 2 4 16
Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa 5th (x1) 3 6 5
Ihud Bney Shfaram 16th (x1) 1 16

References

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