# Liga Leumit

The Israeli Liga Leumit (Hebrew: הליגה הלאומית, HaLiga HaLeumit, lit. 'National League') is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League.

## 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.

## 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

The following clubs are participating in the 2024–25 season:
| Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. Kafr Qasim Hapoel Acre Hapoel Afula Hapoel Kfar Saba Hapoel Kfar Shalem Hapoel Nof HaGalil Hapoel Petah Tikva | Hapoel Ra'anana Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Ramat HaSharon Hapoel Rishon LeZion Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Umm al-Fahm Maccabi Jaffa Maccabi Herzliya |

## 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 |
| 2000–2001 | Hapoel Be'er Sheva Maccabi Kiryat Gat | Tzafririm Holon Bnei Yehuda | Maccabi Kafr Kanna Hapoel Ra'anana | Hapoel Jerusalem Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata |
| 2001–2002 | Hapoel Kfar Saba Bnei Yehuda | Maccabi Kiryat Gat Hapoel Haifa | Hapoel Nazareth Illit Hapoel Jerusalem | Hakoah Ramat Gan Hapoel Beit She'an |
| 2002–2003 | 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 |
| 2003–2004 | Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Nazareth Illit | Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | Hapoel Acre Ironi Ramat HaSharon | Hapoel Ramat Gan Maccabi Kiryat Gat |
| 2004–2005 | Hapoel Kfar Saba Maccabi Netanya | Hapoel Be'er Sheva Hapoel Haifa | Hapoel Ashkelon Maccabi Be'er Sheva | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Tzafririm Holon |
| 2005–2006 | Maccabi Herzliya Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan | Bnei Sakhnin Hapoel Nazareth Illit | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Hapoel Bnei Lod | Ironi Rishon LeZion Maccabi Be'er Sheva |
| 2006–2007 | Ironi Kiryat Shmona Bnei Sakhnin | Hapoel Petah Tikva Hakoakh Amidar Ramat Gan | Hapoel Rishon LeZion Hapoel Ramat Gan | Hapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Jerusalem |
| 2007–2008 | Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan Hapoel Petah Tikva | Maccabi Herzliya Hapoel Kfar Saba | Hapoel Jerusalem Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata | Ironi Rishon LeZion Hapoel Nazareth Illit |
| 2008–2009 | 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 |
| 2009–2010 | Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Ashkelon | Hapoel Ra'anana Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | Hapoel Herzliya Maccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli | Hapoel Jerusalem Hapoel Marmorek |
| 2010–2011 | 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 |
| 2011–2012 | Hapoel Ramat Gan | Ironi Rishon LeZion Maccabi Petah Tikva Hapoel Petah Tikva | Maccabi Yavne | Ironi Bat Yam Hapoel Herzliya Maccabi Be'er Sheva |
| 2012–2013 | Maccabi Petah Tikva Hapoel Ra'anana | Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim Maccabi Netanya | Hapoel Afula Hapoel Jerusalem | Sektzia Nes Tziona Hapoel Kfar Saba |
| 2013–2014 | 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 |
| 2014–2015 | Bnei Yehuda Hapoel Kfar Saba | F.C. Ashdod Hapoel Petah Tikva | Hapoel Jerusalem Hapoel Ashkelon | Ironi Tiberias Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan |
| 2015–2016 | F.C. Ashdod Hapoel Ashkelon | Maccabi Netanya Hapoel Acre | Ironi Nesher Maccabi Sha'arayim | Maccabi Yavne Maccabi Kiryat Gat |
| 2016–2017 | Maccabi Netanya Hapoel Acre | Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Kfar Saba | Hapoel Hadera Hapoel Marmorek | Maccabi Sha'arayim Hapoel Jerusalem |
| 2017–2018 | Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Hadera | Hapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Acre | Hapoel Iksal Sektzia Nes Tziona | Maccabi Herzliya Ironi Nesher |
| 2018–2019 | Hapoel Kfar Saba Sektzia Nes Tziona | Bnei Sakhnin Maccabi Petah Tikva | Hapoel Umm al-Fahm F.C. Kafr Qasim | Hapoel Iksal Hapoel Marmorek |
| 2019–2020 | Maccabi Petah Tikva Bnei Sakhnin | Sektzia Nes Tziona Hapoel Ra'anana | Hapoel Kfar Shalem Hapoel Iksal | Hapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Bnei Lod |
| 2020–2021 | Hapoel Nof HaGalil Hapoel Jerusalem | Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Hapoel Kfar Saba | Hapoel Ashdod Maccabi Bnei Reineh | Hapoel Iksal Hapoel Kfar Shalem |
| 2021–2022 | Maccabi Bnei Reineh Sektzia Nes Tziona | Hapoel Nof HaGalil Maccabi Petah Tikva | Ironi Tiberias Maccabi Jaffa | Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam Hapoel Ra'anana |
| 2022–2023 | Maccabi Petah Tikva Hapoel Petah Tikva | Sektzia Nes Tziona Ironi Kiryat Shmona | Maccabi Herzliya Ihud Bnei Shefa-'Amr | Hapoel Ashdod Maccabi Ahi Nazareth |
| 2023–2024 | Ironi Kiryat Shmona Ironi Tiberias | Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Tel Aviv | Hapoel Kfar Shalem Hapoel Ra'anana | Ihud Bnei Shefa-'Amr Sektzia Nes Tziona |
* In bold team that won the Championship

## Record of finishing positions of clubs in the Liga Leumit

Table correct as at the end of the 2023–24 Israeli Liga Leumit season.
| Club | Best result | S | 99–00 | 00–01 | 01–02 | 02–03 | 03–04 | 04–05 | 05–06 | 06–07 | 07–08 | 08–09 | 09–10 | 10–11 | 11–12 | 12–13 | 13–14 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 | 19–20 | 20–21 | 21–22 | 22–23 | 23–24 |
| Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 1st (x1) | 21 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 1 | | 11 | | 8 | 9 | 6 | | 9 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 15 | |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 2nd (x1) | 19 | | | | | 10 | 6 | 11 | | 11 | | 8 | 2 | | 6 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 13 |
| Maccabi Herzliya | 1st (x1) | 18 | | 9 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 1 | | | 7 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 15 | | | | | | 7 |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | 1st (x1) | 19 | | 4 | 10 | 7 | 12 | | | | 6 | 4 | | | 1 | | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 11 |
| Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon | 1st (x1) | 18 | | | | | | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 1 | | | | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 6 |
| Hapoel Nof HaGalil | 1st (x1) | 19 | | | | 4 | 2 | | | 7 | 12 | | 7 | 11 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 1 | | 14 | 4 |
| Hapoel Jerusalem | 2nd (x1) | 15 | | 12 | | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 12 | | 10 | 15 | | 6 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 15 | | | | 2 | | | |
| Hapoel Bnei Lod | 2nd (x1) | 14 | | | | | | | | 10 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 15 | | | | |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | 1st (x3) | 16 | | 8 | 1 | | 4 | 1 | | | | 8 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 16 | | 2 | | | 14 | 1 | | | 6 | 7 | 14 |
| Hapoel Ra'anana | 2nd (x1) | 14 | | | 9 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 5 | | 5 | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | | 10 | 15 | | |
| Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan | 1st (x1) | 13 | 6 | 5 | 7 | | 8 | 5 | 2 | | 1 | | 11 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 16 | | | | | | | | | |
| Beitar Tel Aviv | 3rd (x1) | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 16 | | |
| Hapoel Petah Tikva | 2nd (x3) | 12 | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | 5 | 2 | | 6 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 2 | |
| Hapoel Ironi Acre | 2nd (x2) | 13 | | | | | | 3 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 2 | | | | | | | | 2 | | 14 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 9 |
| Hapoel Ashkelon | 2nd (x2) | 10 | 10 | | | | | | 8 | 11 | | | 2 | | 9 | 13 | 15 | | 2 | | | 6 | 16 | | | | |
| Hapoel Afula | 4th (x1) | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
| Sektzia Nes Tziona | 2nd (x2) | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 6 | 11 | 15 | | | | | | 2 | | 3 | 2 | | 15 |
| Maccabi Kiryat Gat | 2nd (x2) | 6 | 2 | 2 | | 10 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| Bnei Sakhnin | 2nd (x3) | 6 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | |
| Hapoel Be'er Sheva | 1st (x1) | 6 | 7 | 1 | | | | | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hapoel Haifa | 1st (x2) | 6 | | | | 6 | 1 | | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem | 4th (x3) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | | | | |
| Hapoel Tzafririm Holon | 1st (x1) | 5 | 1 | | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ironi Kiryat Shmona | 1st (x3) | 6 | | | | | 3 | 8 | 3 | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Beitar Be'er Sheva | 3rd (x1) | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Maccabi Be'er Sheva | 12th (x1) | 4 | | | | | | | 12 | | | | 14 | 12 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Maccabi Yavne | 8th (x1) | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | 9 | 8 | 15 | | | | | | | | |
| Bnei Yehuda | 1st (x1) | 6 | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | 8 | 8 | 3 |
| Maccabi Netanya | 1st (x2) | 3 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Hapoel Beit She'an | 6th (x1) | 3 | 8 | 6 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam | 6th (x1) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 13 | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| F.C. Kafr Qasim | 3rd (x1) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 10 |
| Hapoel Umm al-Fahm | 4th (x1) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 8 |
| Hapoel Marmorek | 12th (x1) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | | 12 | 15 | | | | | |
| Maccabi Umm al-Fahm | 10th (x1) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | 12 | 16 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Maccabi Petah Tikva | 1st (x3) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | |
| Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata | 11th (x1) | 2 | | 11 | | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Maccabi Kafr Kanna | 5th (x1) | 2 | | | 5 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ahva Arraba | 9th (x1) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hapoel Herzliya | 7th (x1) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ironi Nesher | 12th (x1) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 16 | | | | | | |
| Hapoel Iksal | 8th (x1) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | | 8 | | | |
| Maccabi Acre | 3rd (x1) | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hapoel Tel Aviv | 1st (x1) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | |
| F.C Ashdod | 1st (x1) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Hapoel Hadera | 2nd (x1) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | |
| Maccabi Ironi Jatt Al-Ahli | 15th (x1) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ironi Tiberias | 2nd (x1) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | 3 | 2 |
| Maccabi Sha'arayim | 16th (x1) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | |
| Hapoel Kfar Shalem | 16th (x1) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | | | |
| Maccabi Bnei Reineh | 1st (x1) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | |
| Hapoel Ashdod | 4th (x1) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 16 | |
| Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa | 5th (x1) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 5 |
| Ihud Bney Shfaram | 16th (x1) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 |