Liga Leumit

Liga Leumit (Hebrew: ליגה לאומית, lit. National League) is the second division of the Israeli Football League, and below its Premier League.

Liga Leumit
Founded1955 (1955)
CountryIsrael
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toPremier League
Relegation toLiga Alef
Domestic cup(s)State Cup
Toto Cup (Leumit)
Current championsMaccabi Petah Tikva
(2019–20)
TV partnersSport 5
Websitefootball.org.il
Current: 2020–21 Liga Leumit

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. The rest of the matches have no TV cover.

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 (2019–20)

The following clubs are participating in the 2019–20 season:

Past seasons Champions

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
2000–01 Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Maccabi Kiryat Gat
Tzafririm Holon
Bnei Yehuda
Maccabi Kafr Kanna
Hapoel Ra'anana
Hapoel Jerusalem
Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata
2001–02 Hapoel Kfar Saba
Bnei Yehuda
Maccabi Kiryat Gat
Hapoel Haifa
Hapoel Nazareth Illit
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hakoah Ramat Gan
Hapoel Beit She'an
2002–03 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
2003–04 Hapoel Haifa
Hapoel Nazareth Illit
Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Hapoel Acre
Ironi Ramat HaSharon
Hapoel Ramat Gan
Maccabi Kiryat Gat
2004–05 Hapoel Kfar Saba
Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Hapoel Haifa
Hapoel Ashkelon
Maccabi Be'er Sheva
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Tzafririm Holon
2005–06 Maccabi Herzliya
Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan
Bnei Sakhnin
Hapoel Nazareth Illit
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Hapoel Bnei Lod
Ironi Rishon LeZion
Maccabi Be'er Sheva
2006–07 Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Bnei Sakhnin
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan
Hapoel Rishon LeZion
Hapoel Ramat Gan
Hapoel Ashkelon
Hapoel Jerusalem
2007–08 Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Maccabi Herzliya
Hapoel Kfar Saba
Hapoel Jerusalem
Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata
Ironi Rishon LeZion
Hapoel Nazareth Illit
2008–09 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
2009–10 Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Hapoel Ashkelon
Hapoel Ra'anana
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth
Hapoel Herzliya
Maccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Marmorek
2010–11 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
2011–12 Hapoel Ramat Gan Ironi Rishon LeZion
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Maccabi Yavne Ironi Bat Yam
Hapoel Herzliya
Maccabi Be'er Sheva
2012–13 Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Ra'anana
Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim
Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Afula
Hapoel Jerusalem
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Hapoel Kfar Saba
2013–14 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
2014–15 Bnei Yehuda
Hapoel Kfar Saba
F.C. Ashdod
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Ashkelon
Ironi Tiberias
Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan
2015–16 F.C. Ashdod
Hapoel Ashkelon
Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Acre
Ironi Nesher
Maccabi Sha'arayim
Maccabi Yavne
Maccabi Kiryat Gat
2016–17 Maccabi Netanya
Hapoel Acre
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Kfar Saba
Hapoel Hadera
Hapoel Marmorek
Maccabi Sha'arayim
Hapoel Jerusalem
2017–18 Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Hadera
Hapoel Ashkelon
Hapoel Acre
Hapoel Iksal
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Maccabi Herzliya
Ironi Nesher
2018–19 Hapoel Kfar Saba
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Bnei Sakhnin
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Umm al-Fahm
F.C. Kafr Qasim
Hapoel Iksal
Hapoel Marmorek
2019–20 Maccabi Petah Tikva
Bnei Sakhnin
Sektzia Nes Tziona
Hapoel Ra'anana
Hapoel Kfar Shalem
Hapoel Iksal
Hapoel Ashkelon
Hapoel Bnei Lod
  • In Bold team that won the Championship
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