1939–40 in Mandatory Palestine football

The 1939–40 season was the 13th season of competitive football in the British Mandate for Palestine under the Eretz Israel Football Association.

Football in Mandatory Palestine
Season1939–40
← 1938–39 1940–41 →

IFA Competitions

1939 Palestine League
Main articles: 1939 Palestine League and 1939 Liga Bet

Matches of the 1939 Palestine League, which, due to the Arab Revolt, was split into regional leagues, rather than holding a national championship, were carried from the previous season , and were finished in fall 1939. Maccabi Tel Aviv and British Police won the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem divisions of top tier Liga Alef, while Hapoel Hadera, Beitar Tel Aviv and Maccabi Rehovot won their Liga Bet regional divisions.

1940 Palestine League
Main articles: 1940 Palestine League and 1940 Liga Bet

Shortly after the conclusion of the previous league season, a new league season was held, starting on 3 February 1940. League matches were completed in early July 1940, with Hapoel Tel Aviv winning the championship.

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Hapoel Tel Aviv 14 10 3 1 31 12 2.583 23 Champions
2 Beitar Tel Aviv 14 8 3 3 43 8 5.375 19
3 Maccabi Tel Aviv 14 8 2 4 46 14 3.286 18
4 Maccabi Nes Tziona 14 6 4 4 24 28 0.857 16
5 Hapoel Haifa 14 5 2 7 22 34 0.647 12
6 Hakoah Tel Aviv 14 4 4 6 12 25 0.480 12
7 Maccabi Petah Tikva 14 5 0 9 32 42 0.762 10
8 Hapoel Herzliya 14 0 2 12 6 53 0.113 2
Updated to match(es) played on 29 June 1940. Source: 100 Years of Football 1906-2006, Elisha Shohat (Israel), 2006

Liga Bet

In Liga Bet, Hapoel Hadera, Degel Zion Tel Aviv and RSG Rehovot won their regional divisions. At the end of the season, Degel Zion, Hapoel Hadera and Hapoel Rishon LeZion (who finished as runners-up in the South division) competed for promotions to the top division, with Hapoel Rishon LeZion and Degel Zion winning promotion.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Hapoel Rishon LeZion 4 3 1 0 8 3 2.667 7 Promotion to Liga Alef
2 Degel Zion Tel Aviv 4 2 0 2 10 5 2.000 4
3 Hapoel Hadera 4 0 1 3 2 12 0.167 1
Updated to match(es) played on 18 August 1940. Source: 100 Years of Football 1906-2006, Elisha Shohat (Israel), 2006

Liga Gimel

For the first time the EIFA arranged a third division, which was divided into two regions, Samaria (North) and South. Among the teams participating in the league were future league champions Bnei Yehuda and Hapoel Kfar Saba, both making their debut in the league.

Only a handful of results are known. Maccabi Kfar Saba and Hakoach Rishon LeZion won the Samaria and South divisions and qualified along with their runners-up, Hapoel Kfar Saba and HaMa'avir Tel Aviv to the promotion play-offs. Hapoel Kfar Saba and HaKoach Rishon LeZion won promotion to Liga Bet, however, as club registration for the following season was low, all third division clubs that registered to play were placed in Liga Bet.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Hapoel Kfar Saba 6 4 2 0 15 4 3.750 10 Promotion to Liga Bet
2 HaKoah Rishon LeZion 6 2 2 2 12 13 0.923 6
3 Maccabi Kfar Saba 6 1 2 3 7 9 0.778 4
4 HaMa'avir Tel Aviv 6 2 0 4 6 14 0.429 4
Updated to match(es) played on 18 August 1940. Source: 100 Years of Football 1906-2006, Elisha Shohat (Israel), 2006

1940 Palestine Cup
Main article: 1940 Palestine Cup

Hapoel Tel Aviv, the defending cup holders were beaten by local rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv 0–4 in the semi-finals. In the final, Maccabi were beaten 1–3 by Beitar Tel Aviv.[1]

Maccabi Tel Aviv1–3Beitar Tel Aviv
Beit HaLevi  9' Kretchman  6'
Bogdanov  60'
Panz  88'
Attendance: 8000
Referee: Chodshoni

Jerusalem League

A five-team league was played in Jerusalem during spring 1940, with each team playing its opponents twice. Maccabi Bar Kochva Jerusalem won the league.[2][3]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification
1 Maccabi Jerusalem 8 6 2 0 17 5 3.400 14 League champions
2 Hapoel Jerusalem 8 4 2 2 15 9 1.667 10
3 Homenetmen 8 3 2 3 14 15 0.933 8
4 RAMC/CMP 8 1 2 5 11 20 0.550 4
5 Jerusalem F.C. 8 1 2 5 9 17 0.529 4
6 The Broons 0 - - - - - — 0 Withdrew
Source: The Palestine Post

National team

The national Eretz Israel team hosted the Lebanese national team in a friendly match, Lebanon's first official international, which was played on 27 April 1940.[4][5]

27 April 1940 International Friendly Eretz Israel  5–1  Lebanon Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine
Meitner  2'
Schneiderowitz  11'
Machlis  32'
Caspi  40', 60'		 Report Cordahi  50' Stadium: Maccabiah Stadium
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: John Blackwell (England)

Notable Events

References
  1. Shohat, Elisha (2006). 100 Years of Football 1906-2006. pp. 106–108.
  2. Maccabi Jerusalem Champion of Jerusalem Division League HaBoker, 30 June 1940, via archive.football.org.il (in Hebrew)
  3. Shohat, Elisha (2006). 100 Years of Football 1906-2006. pp. 101, 105.
  4. "Lebanon outclassed by Palestine selected". The Palestine Post. 30 April 1940. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  5. Shohat, Elisha (2006). 100 שנות כדורגל: 1906–2006 [100 Years of Football: 1906–2006] (in Hebrew). Hod Hasharon. pp. 109–110.
  6. Maccabi Nes Tziona Won the Melchett Cup HaBoker, 10 December 1939, via archive.football.org.il (in Hebrew)
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