The Israeli Women Basketball Premier League or Ligat Athena Winner (Hebrew: ליגת העל בכדורסל נשים), is a women's professional basketball league in Israel. It is currently composed of 11 teams.[1]
Current season, competition or edition: Ligat ha'Al 2024–2025 | |
 | |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1957 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country | Israel |
| Confederation | FIBA Europe |
| Most recent champion(s) | Elitzur Ramla (13 titles) (2023/2024) |
| Most titles | Elitzur Tel Aviv (14 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | Sports Channel |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| International cup(s) | EuroLeague EuroCup |
| Official website | wbl.co.il |
The league was founded in 1957. Initially the most predominant teams in the league were veteran women's basketball clubs such as Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv, who won almost yearly during the first two decades after the establishment of the women's league. This changed in 1976, when the team Elitzur Tel Aviv began winning all of the league's championships for 19 years straight. During the 1990s the trend again changed, as the most prominent championship winners became A.S Ramat Hasharon and Elitzur Ramla.
The champions of the 2010/2011 season were Elitzur Ramla.[2] Elitzur Tel Aviv and Elitzur Holon share the distinction of having won the most championship trophies, 20 between themselves.,[3] although the union that was established in 1990 between the two team was disbanded in 2008.
In the 2011/12 season Maccabi Bnot Ashdod reached double winning, for the first time, the national league and national cup in one season.
History
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2014) |
The League's teams (2024/25 season)
edit| Club | City | Arena | Capacity | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.S. Ramat-Hasharon | Ramat Hasharon | Oranim Arena | 1,000 | |
| Maccabi Bnot Ashdod | Ashdod | HaKiriya Arena | 2,000 | |
| Elitzur Ramla | Ramla | Kiryat Menahem Arena | 2,000 | |
| Maccabi Ramat Gan | Ramat Gan | Zisman Arena | 1,500 | |
| Elitzur Holon | Holon | Ariel Sharon Hall | 500 | |
| Hapoel Lev Jerusalem | Jerusalem | Malha Arena | 2,000 | |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | Rishon LeZion | Gan Nahum | 1,500 | |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | Kfar Saba | Hyuval | 680 | |
| Hapoel Petah Tikva | Petah Tikva | Yitzhak Shamir Hall | 400 | |
| Maccabi Haifa | Haifa | Bikurim | 750 |
Championships by teams
edit| Club | Winners | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|
| Elitzur Tel Aviv | 14 | 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 |
| Elitzur Ramla | 13 | 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | 11 | 1958, 1959, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976 |
| Hapoel Tel Aviv | 7 | 1961, 1962, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 2006 |
| Elitzur Holon | 6 | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997 |
| A.S Ramat Hasharon | 6 | 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010 |
| Maccabi Bnot Ashdod | 6 | 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 |
| Maccabi Ramat Gan | 2 | 2020, 2021 |
| Hapoel Jerusalem | 1 | 1960 |
| Hapoel Yagur | 1 | 1963 |
References
edit- ^ "Israeli basketball Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Standings". Eurobasket.com. 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ ליגת העל נשים. ONE.co.il (in Hebrew). 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ ליגת העל נשים. ONE.co.il (in Hebrew). 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.