List of Israeli football champions


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 2018–19 competition, Maccabi Tel Aviv are the current champions.
Following the creation of the Eretz Israel Football Association in August 1928, the first nationwide football championship in Mandatory Palestine, the Palestine League, began in November 1931. The Palestine League's last edition was played during the 1946–47 season, and since then the national championship has been played under four names: the Israeli League, from 1949 to 1950; Liga Alef, between 1951 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 22 titles; they are also the only Israeli club to have never been relegated from the top division. The next most successful teams are Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem, with 14, 12 and six titles respectively. These four sides won every Israeli Premier League title from its inception in 1999 to 2012; due in part to this, they are sometimes described as Israel's "Big Four". 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
Champions also won the Israel State Cup during the same season.
Champions also won the League Cup during the same season.
Champions also won both cups during the same season.
A running tally of the total number of championships won by each club is kept in brackets.

Palestine League (1931–1947)

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. 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. Because of violent conflicts involving the Yishuv, the competition's scheduling was inconsistent and in some seasons no national championship was held.
SeasonWinner Notes
1931–32British Police –
1932–33–
1933–34Hapoel Tel Aviv –
1934–35Hapoel Tel Aviv
1935–36Maccabi Tel Aviv –
1937Maccabi Tel Aviv –
1938Hapoel Tel Aviv
1938–39
1940Hapoel Tel Aviv –
1940–41–
1941–42Maccabi Tel Aviv –
1942–43
1943–44Hapoel Tel Aviv –
1944–45Hapoel Tel Aviv and Beitar Tel Aviv
1945–46–
1946–47Maccabi Tel Aviv –
1947–48
1948

Israeli League (1949–1951)

Following Israel's creation in 1948, the association dropped "Eretz" from its name and the cup was renamed the Israel State Cup. The league championship was held as the "Israeli League" for one season, in 1949–50; Maccabi Tel Aviv won the title.
SeasonWinner Runners-upThird placeTop ScorerGoalsNotes
1949–50Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel AvivHapoel Haifa 25–
1950–51–

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
SeasonWinner Runners-upThird placeTop ScorerGoalsNotes
1951–52Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Petah TikvaHapoel Haifa 24–
1952–53–
1953–54Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Petah TikvaHapoel Petah Tikva 16–
1954–55Hapoel Petah Tikva Maccabi Tel AvivHapoel Tel Aviv 30–

Liga Leumit (1955–1999)

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.
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.
SeasonWinner Runners-upThird placeTop ScorerGoalsNotes
1955–56Hapoel Petah TikvaHapoel Tel Aviv
Michael Michaelov 		16–
1956–57Hapoel Petah TikvaMaccabi Tel Aviv 16–
1957–58Hapoel Petah TikvaMaccabi Haifa 14–
1958–59Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel HaifaMaccabi Tel Aviv 17–
1959–60Hapoel Petah Tikva Maccabi Tel AvivHapoel Haifa 19–
1960–61Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Tel AvivHapoel Haifa
Zharia Ratzabi 		15–
1961–62Hapoel Petah Tikva Maccabi JaffaHapoel Tiberias
Itzhak Nizri 		16–
1962–63Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Tel AvivMaccabi Jaffa 12–
1963–64Hapoel Ramat Gan Maccabi JaffaHapoel Petah Tikva 21–
1964–65Hakoah Ramat Gan Hapoel Petah TikvaHapoel Tel Aviv
Itzhak Mizrahi 		18–
1965–66Maccabi Tel AvivHapoel Petah Tikva
Mordechai Spiegler 		17–
1966–68Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Petah TikvaHapoel Haifa 38
1968–69Maccabi Tel AvivMaccabi Netanya 25–
1969–70Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel AvivMaccabi Haifa 15–
1970–71Maccabi Netanya Shimshon Tel AvivHapoel Tel Aviv 20–
1971–72Maccabi Tel Aviv Beitar JerusalemHakoah Ramat Gan 21–
1972–73Hakoah Ramat Gan Hapoel Tel AvivHapoel Jerusalem 18–
1973–74Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Tel AvivBeitar Jerusalem 15–
1974–75Hapoel Be'er Sheva Maccabi NetanyaHapoel Haifa 17–
1975–76Hapoel Be'er Sheva Beitar JerusalemHapoel Haifa 21–
1976–77Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi JaffaBeitar Jerusalem 17–
1977–78Maccabi Netanya Beitar JerusalemMaccabi Tel Aviv 16–
1978–79Maccabi Tel Aviv Beitar JerusalemMaccabi Netanya
Eli Miali 		18–
1979–80Maccabi Netanya Hapoel Tel AvivShimshon Tel Aviv 18–
1980–81Bnei Yehuda Tel AvivMaccabi Jaffa 22–
1981–82Hapoel Kfar Saba Maccabi NetanyaBnei Yehuda Tel Aviv 26–
1982–83Maccabi Netanya Shimshon Tel AvivHapoel Be'er Sheva 22–
1983–84Maccabi Haifa Beitar JerusalemHapoel Tel Aviv 16–
1984–85Maccabi Haifa Beitar JerusalemShimshon Tel Aviv 18–
1985–86Hapoel Tel Aviv Maccabi HaifaMaccabi Tel Aviv
Doron Rabinzon 		14–
1986–87Beitar Jerusalem Bnei Yehuda Tel AvivMaccabi Tel Aviv 16–
1987–88Hapoel Tel Aviv Maccabi NetanyaHapoel Be'er Sheva 25–
1988–89Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Petah TikvaMaccabi Netanya 18–
1989–90Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Hapoel Petah TikvaMaccabi Haifa 16–
1990–91Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Petah TikvaBeitar Tel Aviv 20–
1991–92Maccabi Tel Aviv Bnei Yehuda Tel AvivMaccabi Haifa 20–
1992–93Beitar Jerusalem Maccabi Tel AvivBnei Yehuda Tel Aviv 26–
1993–94Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Tel AvivHapoel Be'er Sheva 28–
1994–95Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi HaifaHapoel Be'er Sheva
Amir Turgeman 		17–
1995–96Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi HaifaBeitar Jerusalem 26–
1996–97Beitar Jerusalem Hapoel Petah TikvaHapoel Be'er Sheva 21–
1997–98Beitar Jerusalem Hapoel Tel AvivHapoel Haifa 18–
1998–99Hapoel Haifa Maccabi Tel AvivMaccabi Haifa 21–

Israeli Premier League (1999–present)

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.
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.

Performances

Performance by club

A star above the crest is awarded for every five titles.
ClubTitlesRunners-upWinning Seasons
Maccabi Tel Aviv
⭐⭐⭐⭐		23111935–36, 1937, 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
Hapoel Tel Aviv
⭐⭐		14151933–34, 1934–35, 1938, 1940, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1956–57, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1980–81, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1999–2000, 2009–10
Maccabi Haifa
⭐⭐		1281983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11
Hapoel Petah Tikva
⭐		101954–55, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63
Beitar Jerusalem
⭐		61986–87, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2006–07, 2007–08
Maccabi Netanya
⭐		51970–71, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1982–83
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
⭐		11974–75, 1975–76, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
Hakoah Ramat Gan–1964–65, 1972–73
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv31989–90
Beitar Tel Aviv21944–45
Hapoel Ramat Gan11963–64
Hapoel Haifa11998–99
Ironi Kiryat Shmona12011–12
British Police–1931–32
Hapoel Kfar Saba–1981–82
Maccabi Petah Tikva3–
Maccabi Jaffa3–
Maccabi Rehovot2–
Shimshon Tel Aviv2–
Maccabi Jerusalem1–
Hakoah Tel Aviv1–
Maccabi Rishon LeZion1–

Doubles by club

Six teams have completed the double by winning the Israeli State Cup during the same season. There have been 15 doubles won in total ; the most successful club in this regard is Maccabi Tel Aviv, who have been both league champions and cup winners on seven occasions.
ClubDoublesDouble Winning Seasons
Maccabi Tel Aviv71946–47, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1969–70, 1976–77, 1995–96, 2014–15
Hapoel Tel Aviv41933–34, 1937–38, 1999–2000, 2009–10
British Police11931–32
Maccabi Netanya11977–78
Maccabi Haifa11990–91
Beitar Jerusalem12007–08

Performance by city

The 15 title-winning clubs have come from a total of nine cities. The most successful city is Tel Aviv.
CityTitlesTitle Winning Clubs
Tel Aviv38Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Beitar Tel Aviv, Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv
Haifa13Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Haifa
Jerusalem7Beitar Jerusalem, British Police
Petah Tikva6Hapoel Petah Tikva
Netanya5Maccabi Netanya
Beersheba5Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Ramat Gan3Hakoah Ramat Gan, Hapoel Ramat Gan
Kfar Saba1Hapoel Kfar Saba
Kiryat Shmona1Kiryat Shmona

Performance by district

The Israeli championship has been won by 15 clubs from six districts. The most successful district is Tel Aviv District.
DistrictTitlesTitle Winning Clubs
Tel Aviv41Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Hakoah Ramat Gan, Beitar Tel Aviv, Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv, Hapoel Ramat Gan
Haifa13Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Haifa
Center12Hapoel Petah Tikva, Maccabi Netanya, Hapoel Kfar Saba
Jerusalem7Beitar Jerusalem, British Police
South5Hapoel Be'er Sheva
North1Kiryat Shmona
0—

Footnotes