List of Israeli football champions#Israeli Premier League (1999–present)
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
File:Maccabi Tel Aviv football team 1939.jpg are Israel's most successful club. The Maccabi squad of 1939 is pictured at Sydney Cricket Ground during a tour of Australia.|alt=A black-and-white photograph of an association football team. A row of eight men stands at the rear, six in dark-coloured soccer jerseys with a light stripe horizontal across the centre, and one on each end in dark-coloured suits. In front of them sit eight more players. In the background a tall floodlight and two grandstands can be seen.]]
The association football champions of Israel are the winners of the highest league in Israeli football, which is currently the Israeli Premier League. The league is contested on a round robin basis and the championship awarded to the team that is top of the league at the end of the season. Having won the 2023–24 competition, Maccabi Tel Aviv are the current champions.
Following the creation of the Eretz Israel Football Association in August 1928,{{cite journal
|title = The early development of Hebrew football in Eretz Israel, 1910–1928
|journal = Soccer & Society
|publisher = Israel Football Association
|url = http://football.org.il/Association/ResearchUnit/ResearchFiles/The%20early%20development%20of%20Hebrew%20football%20in%20Eretz%20Israel,%201910-1928.pdf
|volume = 9
|number = 1
|page = 11
|first1 = Haim
|last1 = Kaufman
|first2 = Yair
|last2 = Galily
|date = January 2008
|doi = 10.1080/14660970701616779
|s2cid = 145680671
|access-date = 2011-08-06
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130503013325/http://football.org.il/Association/ResearchUnit/ResearchFiles/The%20early%20development%20of%20Hebrew%20football%20in%20Eretz%20Israel,%201910-1928.pdf
|archive-date = 3 May 2013
}} the first nationwide football championship in Mandatory Palestine, the Palestine League, began in October 1930, although this competition was abandoned.{{cite book |last=Rabl |first=Eran |date=2022 |title=ליגת ההתאחדות לכדורגל בתקופת המנדט הבריטי 1930-1948 |trans-title=The FA Football League During the British Mandate 1930-1948 |url=https://daffidovic.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/d79cd799d792d7aa-d794d794d7aad790d797d793d795d7aa-d79cd79bd793d795d7a8d792d79c-1930-1948.pdf |language=Hebrew |location=Nof HaGalil |publisher=|isbn=}} The Palestine League's last edition was played during the 1947–48 season, and was abandoned as well due to the Independence War. The league resumed in May 1949 and since then the national championship has been played under three names: Liga Alef, between 1949 and 1955; Liga Leumit, from 1955 to 1999; and finally, since 1999, the Israeli Premier League.
In all, Maccabi Tel Aviv hold the record for most championships, with 25 titles; they are also the only Israeli club to have never been relegated from the top division.{{cite web
|title = About the Club
|publisher = Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C
|url = http://maccabi-tlv.co.il/Data.asp?id=1&lang=en
|access-date = 2011-08-19
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111001123356/http://maccabi-tlv.co.il/Data.asp?id=1&lang=en
|archive-date = 1 October 2011
| title=Coventric!
| publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
| url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/coventric.html
| first=Karel
| last=Stokkermans
| date=2011-04-21
| access-date=2011-08-18
| archive-date=2 February 2023
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202071958/https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/coventric.html
| url-status=live
}} The next most successful teams are Maccabi Haifa (15 titles) and Hapoel Tel Aviv (11), followed by Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Petah Tikva six titles each. While Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv have always been major players in the league championship, the consistent success of Maccabi Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem has been a relatively recent phenomenon, both clubs having won their first title during the 1980s. The longest run of successive titles is five, won by Hapoel Petah Tikva between the 1958–59 and 1962–63 seasons.
Champions
;Key
| class="wikitable" |
| bgcolor="#CEF2E0" align="center"|{{dagger}}
|Champions also won the Israel State Cup during the same season. (People's Cup before 1948) |
| bgcolor="#CEDFF2" align="center"|{{double-dagger}}
|Champions also won the League Cup during the same season. (began play in 1984) |
| bgcolor="DDCEF2" align="center"|§
|Champions also won both cups during the same season. |
| align="center"|(titles)
|A running tally of the total number of championships won by each club is kept in brackets. |
=Palestine League (1931–1947)=
File:Benny 1949.jpg (light shirts) took on the American Soccer League's all-star team at Ebbets Field, New York in 1947.|alt=A black-and-white photograph taken in the midst of a soccer match. A dark-haired player in a dark uniform marked "ASL" runs towards an old-fashioned leather ball in the foreground. Behind him two players in light-coloured kits can be seen.]]
The inaugural Palestine League title was won by British Police, who finished the season unbeaten and also won the People's Cup to complete the country's first double.{{cite web
|title = Meet the first champions – the British Police of Jerusalem
|publisher = Israel Football Association
|url = http://football.org.il/Archive/Articles/Pages/history20.aspx.aspx
|first = Asher
|last = Goldberg
|language = he
|date = 2011-04-28
|access-date = 2011-08-05
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120314062953/http://football.org.il/Archive/Articles/Pages/history20.aspx.aspx
|archive-date = 14 March 2012
|url-status = dead
}} Except for Jerusalem-based British Police's initial victory, only clubs from Tel Aviv won the title during the Mandate period; Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv won five and four championships respectively.Bleicher (May 2011).{{#tag:ref||group=nb|name=hapoeltitles}} Because of violent conflicts involving the Yishuv, the competition's scheduling was inconsistent and in some seasons no national championship was held or league competitions were abandoned.{{cite web
|title = The Tel Aviv Derbies in December 1935 and '36
|publisher = Israel Football Association
|url = http://football.org.il/Archive/Articles/Pages/history17.aspx
|first = Asher
|last = Goldberg
|language = he
|date = 2010-07-29
|access-date = 2011-08-05
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120705053411/http://football.org.il/Archive/Articles/Pages/history17.aspx
|archive-date = 5 July 2012
|url-status = dead
:Full league standings and top scorer details not known at this time.
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:50%;" |
| style="width:8%;" |Season
! style="width:30%;"|Winner (titles) ! style="width:30%;"|Runners-up ! style="width:2%;" |Notes |
|---|
| 1930–31
| {{sort|Zx|Not Finished}} |– | align=center | {{#tag:ref|The competition started on 3 October 1930 and was abandoned in November 1930 as the High Commissioner ordered the British clubs to stop playing Jewish clubs due to violent incidents in matches.|group=nb|name=season193031}} |
| 1931–32
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | British Police (1){{dagger|Champions also won the People's Cup during the same season}} | align=center | — |
| 1932–33
| {{sort|Zx|Not Finished}} |– | align=center | {{#tag:ref|The Hapoel teams withdrew from the PFA and a league was held with Maccabi teams only. The competition was abandoned when Hapoel rejoined the PFA.|group=nb}} |
| 1933–34
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | Hapoel Tel Aviv (1){{dagger|Champions also won the People's Cup during the same season}} | align=center | — |
| 1934–35
| {{sort|Zx|Not Finished}} |– | align=center | {{#tag:ref|Because of the inconsistent league programme during the 1930s and 1940s, controversy remains concerning the number of titles won by Hapoel Tel Aviv during that period. The 1934–35 championship was abandoned with Hapoel Tel Aviv leading the standings.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=17 May 1935 |title=התאחדות א"י לכדור רגל |trans-title=Eretz Israel Football Association |url=https://www.nli.org.il/he/newspapers/haretz/1935/05/17/01/?a=d&d=haretz19350517-01&e=-------he-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1# |language=Hebrew |work=Haaretz |location=Tel Aviv |access-date=26 May 2024}} The IFA lists the title on its website.{{cite web |title = List of Champions |publisher = Israel Football Association |url = https://www.football.org.il/leagues/league/details/?league_id=40&season_id=25&page_type=champion |language = he |access-date = 26 May 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130412071528/http://football.org.il/Leagues/Pages/ChampoinshipHistory.aspx?LEAGUE_ID=40 |archive-date = 12 April 2013 |url-status = dead }} The 1937–38 league season was also abandoned long before its end because of the Arab revolt in Palestine, once more with Hapoel Tel Aviv top of the table. As with the unfinished 1934–35 title, the Israel Football Association today lists the club as having won the 1937–38 crown. Counting both of these titles, Hapoel have five Palestine League championships and 13 in total, but FIFA and UEFA only credit the club with four pre-1948 titles, giving an overall total of 12.{{cite web | title=Tamuz: Israeli heart, Nigerian blood | publisher=FIFA | url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1422546.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424111933/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1422546.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=24 April 2011 | date=2011-04-21 | access-date=2011-08-06}}{{cite web | title=Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. | publisher=UEFA | url=https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/teams/59869--h-tel-aviv/ | access-date=2011-08-06 | archive-date=11 August 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811053214/http://www.uefa.com/teamsandplayers/teams/club=59869/profile/index.html | url-status=live }} The club itself claims to have won 13 titles, five before independence and eight afterwards.{{cite web |title = Club Records |publisher = Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C |url = http://www.hapoelta-fc.co.il/Titles_eng.asp |access-date = 2011-08-19 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110904212017/http://www.hapoelta-fc.co.il/Titles_eng.asp |archive-date = 4 September 2011 }} This figure is corroborated by the Israel Football Association and Ynet.{{cite news | title=Hapoel Tel Aviv win the championship | newspaper=Ynet | url=http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3889711,00.html | language=he | date=2010-05-15 | access-date=2011-08-06 | last1=ול. בוץ | first1=א עין דור | archive-date=30 August 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830000021/http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3889711,00.html | url-status=live }}|group=nb|name=hapoeltitles}} |
| 1935–36
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (1) | align=center | — |
| 1937
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (2) | align=center | — |
| 1938
| {{sort|Zx|Not Finished}} |– | align=center | {{#tag:ref||group=nb|name=hapoeltitles}} |
| 1939
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (3) | align=center | {{#tag:ref|No national championship was held, and instead regional leagues took place in Tel Aviv (two divisions), Sharon and Judah areas. Maccabi Tel Aviv won the Tel Aviv district league and was recognized as champions by the IFA.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=26 May 2024 |title=ההתאחדות יישרה קו: כוכב חמישי למכבי ת"א |trans-title=The F.A. Agreed: A Fifth Star to Maccabi T.A. |url=https://www.one.co.il/Article/23-24/1,1,3,71353/463813.html?ref=hp |language=Hebrew |work=one.co.il |location=Tel Aviv |access-date=26 May 2024 |archive-date=26 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526210331/https://www.one.co.il/Article/23-24/1,1,3,71353/463813.html?ref=hp |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=26 May 2024 |title=ההסבר: הסיבה שמכבי קיבלה את הכוכב החמישי |trans-title=The Explanation: The Reason Maccabi Got the Fifth Star |url=https://www.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?FolderID=64&docID=471257 |language=Hebrew |work=Sport5.co.il |location=Tel Aviv |access-date=26 May 2024 |archive-date=26 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526114614/https://www.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?FolderID=64&docID=471257 |url-status=live }} Beitar Netanya and Maccabi Rehovot won the other regional leagues.|group=nb}} |
| 1940
| Hapoel Tel Aviv (2) | align=center | — |
| 1940–41
| {{sort|Zz|Not Held}} |– | align=center | {{#tag:ref|Due to disagreements between Maccabi and Hapoel the league wasn't played. Each sport association held its own league, with Maccabi Petah Tikva winning the Maccabi League and Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Raanana winning the Southern and Samaria divisions of the Hapoel League, respectively.|group=nb}} |
| 1941–42
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (4) | align=center | {{#tag:ref|The league was played in three regional divisions, in Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, although the Haifa division was cancelled after few weeks. The two other division required over a year to finish, and a championship playoff was played with Homenetmen (Jerusalem winners), Maccabi Rishon LeZion (Tel Aviv winners) and Maccabi Tel Aviv (Tel Aviv runners-up) participating. Maccabi Tel Aviv won the playoff and the title.{{cite web |title=Titles |publisher=Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C |url=http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/Titles.asp?cType=1 |language=he |access-date=2011-08-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323051928/http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/Titles.asp?cType=1 |archive-date=23 March 2012 }}|group=nb}} |
| 1942–43
| {{sort|Zz|Not Held}} |– | align=center | {{#tag:ref|As the previous season was still being played during the 1942-43 football season, no new league was played.|group=nb|name=season194243}} |
| 1943–44
| Hapoel Tel Aviv (3) | align=center | {{#tag:ref|Although the league was designated as a Wartime football league and not as a national league, the IFA recognizes the title for Hapoel Tel Aviv.|group=nb |
|-
! 1944–45
| Hapoel Tel Aviv (4)
Beitar Tel Aviv (1)
| Hapoel Ramat Gan
Maccabi Rehovot
| align=center | {{#tag:ref|Two regional leagues were held instead of a national championship. Beitar Tel Aviv finished top of the Southern District league while Hapoel Tel Aviv won in the Northern District.{{cite book|last1=Shohat|first1=Elisha|title=100 Years of Football 1906-2006|date=2006|pages=132–134}} The IFA recognize both team as league champions for this season.|group=nb}}
|-
! 1945–46
| {{sort|Zx|Not Finished}}
|–
| align=center | {{#tag:ref|The Maccabi teams withdrew from the PFA and a league was held with Hapoel teams only. The competition was abandoned when Maccabi rejoined the PFA.|group=nb}}
|-
! 1946–47
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (5){{dagger|Champions also won the People's Cup during the same season}}
| align=center | —
|-
! 1947–48
| {{sort|Zz|Not Finished}}
|–
| align=center | {{#tag:ref|The league was abandoned due to the outbreak of the 1947–1949 Palestine war. The IFA list the league leaders at the time of abandonment, Nordia Tel Aviv as champions for this season. |group=nb}}
|-
! 1948
| {{sort|Zz|Not Finished}}
| –
| align=center | {{#tag:ref|The league was formed as a substitution to the Palestine League which was abandoned due to the 1947–1949 Palestine war. The league was abandoned after only a handful of matches were played. The IFA list the league leaders at the time of abandonment, Nordia Tel Aviv as champions for this season.|group=nb}}
|}
=Israeli League (1949–1951)=
Following Israel's creation in 1948, the association dropped "Eretz" from its name and the cup was renamed the Israel Cup. The league championship was held as the "Israeli League" for one season, in 1949–50; Maccabi Tel Aviv won the title.
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%;" |
| style="width:10%;"|Season
! style="width:18%;"|Winner (titles) ! style="width:18%;"|Runners-up ! style="width:18%;"|Third place ! style="width:30%;"|Top Scorer ! style="width:4%;" |Goals ! style="width:2%;" |Notes |
|---|
| 1949–50
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (6) | {{sortname|Yosef|Merimovich}} (Maccabi Tel Aviv) | align=center | 25 | align=center | — |
| 1950–51
| align=center | {{sort|Zz|Not Held}} | align=center | {{sort|Zz|—}} | align=center | {{sort|Zz|—}} | align=center | {{sort|Zz|—}} | align=center | {{sort|0|—}} | align=center | — |
=Liga Alef (1951–1955)=
A new top division, Liga Alef started play with the 1951–52 season. It became the second tier of Israeli football in 1955–56, when it was superseded as the top flight by Liga Leumit. Maccabi Tel Aviv won the first two of the championships held under this name, whilst the 1954–55 ended with the championship leaving Tel Aviv for the first time since the first league season, 1931–32; Hapoel Petah Tikva finished the season top of the league while Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv came in second and third place respectively
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%;" |
| style="width:10%;"|Season
! style="width:18%;"|Winner (titles) ! style="width:18%;"|Runners-up ! style="width:18%;"|Third place ! style="width:30%;"|Top Scorer ! style="width:4%;" |Goals ! style="width:2%;" |Notes |
|---|
| 1951–52
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (7) | {{sortname|Yehoshua|Glazer}} (Maccabi Tel Aviv) | align=center| 24 | align=center| — |
| 1952–53
| align=center| {{sort|Zz|Not Held}} | align=center| {{sort|Zz|—}} | align=center| {{sort|Zz|—}} | align=center| {{sort|Zz|—}} | align=center| {{sort|0|—}} | align=center| — |
| 1953–54
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (8){{dagger|Champions also won the Israeli State Cup during the same season}} | {{sortname|Eliezer|Spiegel}} (Maccabi Petah Tikva) | align=center| 16 | align=center| — |
| 1954–55
| Hapoel Petah Tikva (1) | {{sortname|Nisim|Elmaliah}} (Beitar Tel Aviv) | align=center| 30 | align=center| — |
=Liga Leumit (1955–1999)=
File:PikiWiki Israel 7321 football game.jpg (left, striped shirt) takes a shot for Hapoel Petah Tikva during the 1950s. Stelmach was a key player as the club won five titles in a row between 1958 and 1963.{{cite web
| title=Sporting Heroes: No. 49 Nahum Stelmach
| work=The Jerusalem Post
| url=http://www.jpost.com/Sports/Article.aspx?id=94823
| first=Jeremy
| last=Last
| date=2008-03-13
| access-date=2011-08-24 }}|alt=A black-and-white image taken from behind the goal net during a football match. A dark-haired player in a vertically striped jersey and dark shorts kicks the ball with his right foot while a mustachioed goalkeeper in black dives to stop the shot. Two more players in plain, dark jerseys and white shorts are visible in the background.]]
The inaugural Liga Leumit season, 1955–56, ended with the championship won by Maccabi Tel Aviv, which have won two of the next three titles and Hapoel Tel Aviv one. Hapoel Petah Tikva then finished in second place three times in a row, before starting a record run of five successive championship victories. Hapoel Petah Tikva's run of five consecutive titles between the 1958–59 and 1962–63 seasons remains unmatched today. Two Ramat Gan clubs, Hapoel Ramat Gan and Hakoah Ramat Gan, then claimed a title each before Hapoel Tel Aviv took the title to Tel Aviv at the end of the 1965–66 season. In the 1966–68 season, often referred to as the "double season", the sixteen teams played each other twice at home and twice away during a season lasting two years.{{cite web
|title = Double season, sextet and two meetings in the national league. Nostalgia for eighth cup final
|publisher = Hapoel Haifa F.C
|url = http://hapoel-haifa.org.il/index.php?id=22&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=371
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110825171424/http://hapoel-haifa.org.il/index.php?id%3D22%26tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D%3D371
|url-status = dead
|archive-date = 2011-08-25
|language = he
|first1 = Noam
|last1 = Regev
|first2 = Yossi
|last2 = Glazer
|date = 2011-02-10
|access-date = 2011-08-06
}}
During the 1970s and 1980s, six teams won their first championships; Maccabi Netanya took four titles between 1970 and 1980 while Hapoel Be'er Sheva won two back-to-back in 1974–75 and 1975–76. Hapoel Kfar Saba, Maccabi Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem and Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv all won their first titles during the 1980s. After Bnei Yehuda's victory in 1989–90, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem dominated the remainder of the top-flight Liga Leumit era, winning every title except the last; the 1998–99 championship was won by first-time victors Hapoel Haifa.
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%;" |
| style="width:10%;"|Season
! style="width:18%;"|Winner (titles) ! style="width:18%;"|Runners-up ! style="width:18%;"|Third place ! style="width:30%;"|Top Scorer ! style="width:4%;" |Goals ! style="width:2%;" |Notes |
|---|
| 1955–56
| {{sort|Maccabi Tel Aviv (09)| Maccabi Tel Aviv (9)}} | {{sortname|Avraham|Levi|dab=footballer}} (Beitar Tel Aviv) | align=center | 16 | align=center | — |
| 1956–57
| {{sort|Hapoel Tel Aviv (05)| Hapoel Tel Aviv (5)}} | {{sortname|Avraham|Ginzburg}} (Hapoel Haifa) | align=center | 16 | align=center | — |
| 1957–58
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | {{sort|Maccabi Tel Aviv (10)| Maccabi Tel Aviv (10){{dagger|Champions also won the Israeli State Cup during the same season}}}} | {{sortname|Rafi|Levi}} (Maccabi Tel Aviv) | align=center | 14 | align=center | — |
| 1958–59
| Hapoel Petah Tikva (2) | {{sortname|Aharon|Amar}} (Maccabi Haifa) | align=center | 17 | align=center | — |
| 1959–60
| Hapoel Petah Tikva (3) | {{sortname|Rafi|Levi}} (Maccabi Tel Aviv) | align=center | 19 | align=center | — |
| 1960–61
| Hapoel Petah Tikva (4) | {{sortname|Shlomo|Levi}} (Hapoel Haifa) | align=center | 15 | align=center | — |
| 1961–62
| Hapoel Petah Tikva (5) | {{sortname|Shlomo|Levi}} (Maccabi Haifa) | align=center | 16 | align=center | — |
| 1962–63
| Hapoel Petah Tikva (6) | {{sortname|Zharia|Ratzabi}} (Hapoel Petah Tikva) | align=center | 12 | align=center | — |
| 1963–64
| Hapoel Ramat Gan (1) | {{sortname|Israel|Ashkenazi|Israel Ashkenazi (footballer)}} (Maccabi Jaffa) | align=center | 21 | align=center | — |
| 1964–65
| Hakoah Ramat Gan (1) | {{sortname|Israel|Ashkenazi|Israel Ashkenazi (footballer)}} (Maccabi Jaffa) | align=center | 18 | align=center | — |
| 1965–66
| {{sort|Hapoel Tel Aviv (06)| Hapoel Tel Aviv (6)}} | {{sortname|Moshe|Romano}} (Shimshon Tel Aviv) | align=center | 17 | align=center | — |
| 1966–68
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (11) | {{sortname|Mordechai|Spiegler}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 38 | align=center | {{#tag:ref|During the 1966–68 "double season", Mordechai Spiegler scored 38 goals; counting the two-halves of the season separately, he scored 15 during 1966–67 and 23 during 1967–68.Bleicher (2008).|group=nb}} |
| 1968–69
| {{sort|Hapoel Tel Aviv (07)| Hapoel Tel Aviv (7)}} | {{sortname|Mordechai|Spiegler}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 25 | align=center | — |
| 1969–70
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (12){{dagger|Champions also won the Israeli State Cup during the same season}} | {{sortname|Moshe|Romano}} (Shimshon Tel Aviv) | align=center | 15 | align=center | — |
| 1970–71
| Maccabi Netanya (1) | {{sortname|Eli|Ben Rimoz}} (Hapoel Jerusalem) | align=center | 20 | align=center | — |
| 1971–72
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (13) | {{sortname|Yehouda|Shaharabani}} (Hakoah Ramat Gan) | align=center | 21 | align=center | — |
| 1972–73
| Hakoah Ramat Gan (2) | {{sortname|Moshe|Romano}} (Beitar Tel Aviv) | align=center | 18 | align=center | — |
| 1973–74
| Maccabi Netanya (2) | {{sortname|Benny|Alon}} (Hapoel Haifa) | align=center | 15 | align=center | — |
| 1974–75
| Hapoel Be'er Sheva (1) | {{sortname|Moshe|Romano}} (Shimshon Tel Aviv) | align=center | 17 | align=center |— |
| 1975–76
| Hapoel Be'er Sheva (2) | {{sortname|Oded|Machnes}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 21 | align=center | — |
| 1976–77
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (14){{dagger|Champions also won the Israeli State Cup during the same season}} | {{sortname|Vicky|Peretz}} (Maccabi Tel Aviv) | align=center | 17 | align=center | — |
| 1977–78
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | Maccabi Netanya (3){{dagger|Champions also won the Israeli State Cup during the same season}} | {{sortname|David|Lavi}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 16 | align=center | — |
| 1978–79
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (15) | {{sortname|Oded|Machnes}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 18 | align=center |— |
| 1979–80
| Maccabi Netanya (4) | {{sortname|David|Lavi}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 18 | align=center | — |
| 1980–81
| {{sort|Hapoel Tel Aviv (08)| Hapoel Tel Aviv (8)}} | {{sortname|Hertzel|Fitusi}} (Maccabi Petah Tikva) | align=center | 22 | align=center | — |
| 1981–82
| Hapoel Kfar Saba (1) | {{sortname|Oded|Machnes}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 26 | align=center | — |
| 1982–83
| Maccabi Netanya (5) | {{sortname|Oded|Machnes}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 22 | align=center | — |
| 1983–84
| Maccabi Haifa (1) | {{sortname|David|Lavi}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 16 | align=center | — |
| 1984–85
| Maccabi Haifa (2) | {{sortname|David|Lavi}} (Maccabi Netanya) | align=center | 18 | align=center | — |
| 1985–86
| {{sort|Hapoel Tel Aviv (09)| Hapoel Tel Aviv (9)}} | {{sortname|Uri|Malmilian}} (Beitar Jerusalem) | align=center | 14 | align=center | — |
| 1986–87
| Beitar Jerusalem (1) | {{sortname|Eli|Yani}} (Hapoel Kfar Saba) | align=center | 16 | align=center | — |
| 1987–88
| Hapoel Tel Aviv (10) | {{sortname|Zahi|Armeli}} (Maccabi Haifa) | align=center | 25 | align=center | — |
| 1988–89
| Maccabi Haifa (3) | {{sortname|Benny|Tabak}} (Maccabi Tel Aviv) | align=center | 18 | align=center | — |
| 1989–90
| Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv (1) | {{sortname|Uri|Malmilian}} (Maccabi Tel Aviv) | align=center | 16 | align=center | — |
| 1990–91
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | Maccabi Haifa (4){{dagger|Champions also won the Israeli State Cup during the same season}} | {{sortname|Nir|Levine}} (Hapoel Petah Tikva) | align=center | 20 | align=center | — |
| 1991–92
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (16) | {{sortname|Alon|Mizrahi}} (Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv) | align=center | 20 | align=center | — |
| 1992–93
| Beitar Jerusalem (2) | {{sortname|Alon|Mizrahi}} (Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv) | align=center | 26 | align=center | — |
| 1993–94
| bgcolor=CEDFF2 | Maccabi Haifa (5){{double-dagger|Champions also won the League Cup during the same season}} | {{sortname|Alon|Mizrahi}} (Maccabi Haifa) | align=center | 28 | align=center | — |
| 1994–95
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (17) | {{sortname|Haim|Revivo}} (Maccabi Haifa) | align=center | 17 | align=center | — |
| 1995–96
| bgcolor=CEF2E0 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (18){{dagger|Champions also won the Israeli State Cup during the same season}} | {{sortname|Haim|Revivo}} (Maccabi Haifa) | align=center | 26 | align=center | — |
| 1996–97
| Beitar Jerusalem (3) | {{sortname|Motti|Kakoun}} (Hapoel Petah Tikva) | align=center | 21 | align=center | — |
| 1997–98
| bgcolor=CEDFF2 | Beitar Jerusalem (4){{double-dagger|Champions also won the League Cup during the same season}} | {{sortname|Alon|Mizrahi}} (Maccabi Haifa) | align=center | 18 | align=center | — |
| 1998–99
| Hapoel Haifa (1) | {{sortname|Andrzej|Kubica}} (Maccabi Tel Aviv) | align=center | 21 | align=center | — |
=Israeli Premier League (1999–present)=
File:Maccabi.JPG celebrate winning the title at the end of the 2012–13 season|alt=A stand full of football supporters clad in yellow and blue, beside a pitch.]]
When the Israeli Premier League became the top division of Israeli football in 1999–2000, Liga Leumit became the second division. Since then, only six clubs have won the title; Hapoel Tel Aviv, Ironi Kiryat Shmona, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem. Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem are sometimes referred to as the "Big Four" of Israeli football.{{cite web
| title=Local Soccer: Season schedule released
| work=The Jerusalem Post
| url=http://www.jpost.com/Sports/Article.aspx?id=230149
| first=Allon
| last=Sinai
| date=2011-07-20
| access-date=2011-08-06
| archive-date=24 October 2012
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024121514/http://www.jpost.com/Sports/Article.aspx?id=230149
| url-status=live
}}
Having won seven titles in the league's 20 seasons, the most successful club during this period is Maccabi Haifa; during the same period Maccabi Tel Aviv have added six to their total, Hapoel Be'er Sheva added three championships, while Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv have won two championships each. Although Hapoel Tel Aviv have only finished top of the league twice since 1999—in 1999–2000 and ten years later in 2009–10—they have won the double on both occasions.
This achievement was matched by Beitar Jerusalem in 2007–08. Ironi Kiryat Shmona won their first championship during the 2011–12 season, thereby becoming the first northern title-winners. Both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Be'er Sheva have won three titles in a row.
{{Israeli Premier League Champions}}
Performances
=Performance by club=
A star above the crest is awarded for every five titles.
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%;" |
| style="width:15%;" |Club
! style="width:10%;" |Titles ! style="width:10%;" |Runners-up ! style="width:65%;" |Winning seasons |
|---|
| scope="row" |Maccabi Tel Aviv ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | align="center" |25 | align="center" |12 |1935–36, 1937, 1939, 1941–42, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1966–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2023–24 |
| scope="row" |Maccabi Haifa ⭐⭐⭐ | align="center" |15 | align="center" |10 |1983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23 |
| scope="row" |Hapoel Tel Aviv ⭐⭐ | align="center" |13 | align="center" |16 |1933–34, 1940, 1943–44, 1956–57, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1980–81, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1999–2000, 2009–10 |
| scope="row" |Hapoel Petah Tikva ⭐ | align="center" |{{sort|06|6}} | align="center" |10 |1954–55, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63 |
| scope="row" |Beitar Jerusalem ⭐ | align="center" |{{sort|06|6}} | align="center" |6 |1986–87, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2006–07, 2007–08 |
| scope="row" |Maccabi Netanya ⭐ | align="center" |{{sort|05|5}} | align="center" |5 |1970–71, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1982–83 |
| scope="row" |Hapoel Be'er Sheva ⭐ | align="center" |{{sort|04|5}} | align="center" |3 |1974–75, 1975–76, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 |
| scope="row" |Hakoah Ramat Gan
| align="center" |{{sort|02|2}} | align="center" |— |1964–65, 1972–73 |
| scope="row" |Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv
| align="center" |{{sort|01|1}} | align="center" |3 |1989–90 |
| scope="row" |Beitar Tel Aviv
| align="center" |{{sort|01|1}} | align="center" |2 |1944–45{{#tag:ref|Two regional leagues were held instead of a national championship. Beitar Tel Aviv finished top of the Southern District league while Hapoel Tel Aviv won in the Northern District.{{cite book|last1=Shohat|first1=Elisha|title=100 Years of Football 1906-2006|date=2006|pages=132–134}} The IFA recognize both team as league champions for this season.|group=nb}} |
| scope="row" |Hapoel Ramat Gan
| align="center" |{{sort|01|1}} | align="center" |1{{#tag:ref|In 1944–45, two regional leagues were held instead of a national championship. Beitar Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Avivwon the two divisions, with Maccabi Rehovot and Hapoel Ramat Gan finishing as runners-up.{{cite book|last1=Shohat|first1=Elisha|title=100 Years of Football 1906-2006|date=2006|pages=132–134}}|group=nb}} |1963–64 |
| scope="row" |Hapoel Haifa
| align="center" |{{sort|01|1}} | align="center" |1 |1998–99 |
| scope="row" |Ironi Kiryat Shmona
| align="center" |{{sort|01|1}} | align="center" |1 |2011–12 |
| scope="row" |British Police{{#tag:ref|British Police ceased to exist along its parent organisation, the Palestine Police Force, in 1948.|group=nb|name=police}}
| align="center" |{{sort|01|1}} | align="center" |— |1931–32 |
| scope="row" |Hapoel Kfar Saba
| align="center" |{{sort|01|1}} | align="center" |— |1981–82 |
| scope="row" |Maccabi Petah Tikva
| align="center" |{{sort|01|—}} | align="center" |3 |– |
| scope="row" |Maccabi Jaffa
| align="center" |{{sort|01|—}} | align="center" |3 |– |
| scope="row" |Maccabi Rehovot
| align="center" |{{sort|01|—}} | align="center" |2{{#tag:ref|In 1944–45, two regional leagues were held instead of a national championship. Beitar Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Avivwon the two divisions, with Maccabi Rehovot and Hapoel Ramat Gan finishing as runners-up.{{cite book|last1=Shohat|first1=Elisha|title=100 Years of Football 1906-2006|date=2006|pages=132–134}}|group=nb}} |– |
| scope="row" |Shimshon Tel Aviv
| align="center" |{{sort|01|—}} | align="center" |2 |– |
| scope="row" |Maccabi Jerusalem
| align="center" |{{sort|01|—}} | align="center" |1 |– |
| scope="row" |Hakoah Tel Aviv
| align="center" |{{sort|01|—}} | align="center" |1 |– |
| scope="row" |Maccabi Rishon LeZion
| align="center" |{{sort|01|—}} | align="center" |1 |– |
=Doubles by club=
{{Pie chart
|caption = Titles won by club (%)
|label1 = Maccabi Tel Aviv – 23
|value1 = 28
|color1 = #FFFF00
|label2 = Maccabi Haifa – 15
|value2 = 18
|color2 = #32AB66
|label3 = Hapoel Tel Aviv – 13
|value3 = 15
|color3 = #CC0000
|label4 = Beitar Jerusalem – 6
|value4 = 8
|color4 = black
|label5 = Hapoel Petah Tikva – 6
|value5 = 8
|color5 = #00aeef
|label6 = Maccabi Netanya – 5
|value6 = 6
|color6 = white
|label7 = Hapoel Beer-Sheva – 5
|value7 = 6
|color7 = #CC0000
|label8 = Other clubs – 9
|value8 = 12
|color8 = grey
}}
Six teams have completed the double by winning the Israeli State Cup during the same season. There have been 15 doubles won in total (including one treble, Maccabi Tel Aviv winning the championship, the State Cup and the Toto Cup in 2014–15); the most successful club in this regard is Maccabi Tel Aviv, who have been both league champions and cup winners on seven occasions.
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:50%;"| |
| style="width:10%;"|Club
! style="width:5%;" |Doubles ! style="width:35%;"|Double Winning Seasons |
|---|
| scope="row"|Maccabi Tel Aviv
|align="center"|7 | 1946–47, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1969–70, 1976–77, 1995–96, 2014–15 |
| scope="row"|Hapoel Tel Aviv
|align="center"|4 |1933–34, 1937–38, 1999–2000, 2009–10 |
| scope="row"|British Police
|align="center"|1 | 1931–32 |
| scope="row"|Maccabi Netanya
|align="center"|1 | 1977–78 |
| scope="row"|Maccabi Haifa
|align="center"|1 | 1990–91 |
| scope="row"|Beitar Jerusalem
|align="center"|1 | 2007–08 |
=Performance by city=
The 15 title-winning clubs have come from a total of nine cities. The most successful city is Tel Aviv.
{{Pie chart
|caption = Titles won by city (%)
|label1 = Tel Aviv – 39
|value1 = 48
|color1 = #FFFF00
|label2 = Haifa – 16
|value2 = 17
|color2 = #32AB66
|label3 = Jerusalem – 7
|value3 = 9
|color3 = black
|label4 = Petah Tikva – 6
|value4 = 8
|color4 = #00aeef
|label5 = Netanya – 5
|value5 = 6
|color5 = white
|label6 = Beersheba – 5
|value6 = 6
|color6 = #CC0000
|label7 = Ramat Gan – 3
|value7 = 4
|color7 = blue
|label8 = Kfar Saba – 1
|value8 = 1
|color8 = pink
|label9 = Kiryat Shmona – 1
|value9 = 1
|color9 = grey
}}
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:60%;" style="text-align: left;" |
| style="width:10%;"|City
! style="width:10%;"|Titles ! style="width:40%;"|Title Winning Clubs |
|---|
| scope="row"|Tel Aviv
|align="center"|39 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (25), Hapoel Tel Aviv (13), Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv (1) |
| scope="row"|Haifa
|align="center"|16 | Maccabi Haifa (15), Hapoel Haifa (1) |
| scope="row"|Jerusalem
|align="center"|7 | Beitar Jerusalem (6), British Police (1) |
| scope="row"|Petah Tikva
|align="center"|6 | Hapoel Petah Tikva (6) |
| scope="row"|Netanya
|align="center"|5 | Maccabi Netanya (5) |
| scope="row"|Beersheba
|align="center"|5 | Hapoel Be'er Sheva (5) |
| scope="row"|Ramat Gan
|align="center"|3 | Hakoah Ramat Gan (2), Hapoel Ramat Gan (1) |
| scope="row"|Kfar Saba
|align="center"|1 | Hapoel Kfar Saba (1) |
| scope="row"|Kiryat Shmona
|align="center"|1 | Kiryat Shmona (1) |
=Performance by district=
The Israeli championship has been won by 15 clubs from six districts. The most successful district is Tel Aviv District.
Footnotes
{{Reflist|group="nb"}}
References
;General
- Champions sourced to: {{cite web
|title = List of Champions
|publisher = Israel Football Association
|url = http://www.football.org.il/Leagues/Pages/ChampoinshipHistory.aspx?LEAGUE_ID=40
|language = he
|access-date = 2011-08-05
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130412071528/http://football.org.il/Leagues/Pages/ChampoinshipHistory.aspx?LEAGUE_ID=40
|archive-date = 12 April 2013
|url-status = dead
}}
- And: {{cite web
| title=Israel – List of Champions
| publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
| url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/israchamp.html
| first=Yaniv
| last=Bleicher
| date=2011-05-19
| access-date=2011-08-05
| archive-date=14 May 2019
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514023203/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/israchamp.html
| url-status=live
}}
- Second and third placed teams sourced to: {{cite web
| title=Israel – List of Final Tables
| publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
| url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/israhist.html
| first=Yaniv
| last=Bleicher
| date=2008-07-03
| access-date=2011-08-05
| archive-date=7 February 2023
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207012028/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/israhist.html
| url-status=live
}}
- Top goalscorers sourced to: {{cite web
| title=Israel – Leading Goalscorers
| publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
| url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/isratops.html
| first=Yaniv
| last=Bleicher
| date=2011-07-15
| access-date=2011-08-05
| archive-date=7 February 2023
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207010819/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/isratops.html
| url-status=live
}}
;Specific
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.football.org.il Israel Football Association] – official website. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107055156/http://www.football.org.il/ |date=7 January 2009 }}.
{{UEFA national champions}}
{{Israeli Premier League}}
{{Ligat ha'Al}}
{{Football in Israel}}
{{featured list}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Israeli Football Champions}}