# 2018–19 Liga Leumit

The 2018–19 Liga Leumit was the 20th season as second tier since its re-alignment in 1999 and the 77th season of second-tier football in Israel.
A total of sixteen teams contested in the league, including twelve sides from the 2017–18 season, the two promoted teams from 2017–18 Liga Alef and the two relegated teams from 2017–18 Israeli Premier League.

## Changes from 2017–18 season
### Team changes

Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Hadera were promoted to the 2018–19 Israeli Premier League.
Hapoel Ashkelon and Hapoel Acre were relegated after finishing as the two bottom-placed clubs in the 2017–18 Israeli Premier League.
Maccabi Herzliya, and Ironi Nesher were directly relegated to Liga Alef after finishing in the previous season in last two league places. They were replaced the top placed teams from each division of 2017–18 Liga Alef, Sektzia Ness Ziona (from South Division) and Hapoel Iksal (from North Division).

## Overview
### Stadia and locations

| Club | Home City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | Tel Aviv and Ramla | Ramla Municipal Stadium | 2,000 |
| Hapoel Acre | Acre | Acre Municipal Stadium | 5,000 |
| Hapoel Afula | Afula | Afula Illit Stadium | 3,000 |
| Hapoel Ashkelon | Ashkelon | Sala Stadium | 5,250 |
| Hapoel Bnei Lod | Lod | Lod Municipal Stadium | 3,000 |
| Hapoel Iksal | Iksal | Ilut Stadium | 4,932 |
| Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem | Jerusalem | Teddy Stadium | 31,733 |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | Kfar Saba | Levita Stadium | 5,800 |
| Hapoel Marmorek | Rehovot | Ramla Municipal Stadium | 2,000 |
| Hapoel Nazareth Illit | Nazareth Illit | Green Stadium | 4,000 |
| Hapoel Petah Tikva | Petah Tikva | HaMoshava Stadium | 11,500 |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | Ramat Gan | Ramat Gan Stadium | 13,370 |
| Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | Ramat HaSharon | Grundman Stadium | 4,300 |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | Rishon LeZion | Haberfeld Stadium | 6,000 |
| Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | Nazareth | Ilut Stadium | 4,932 |
| Sektzia Ness Ziona | Ness Ziona | Ness Ziona Stadium | 3,500 |
^A The club is playing their home games at a neutral venue because their own ground does not meet league requirements.

## Regular season

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Hapoel Nazareth Illit | 30 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 42 | 25 | +17 | 54 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 2 | Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 40 | 33 | +7 | 48 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 3 | Sektzia Ness Ziona | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 48 | 35 | +13 | 47 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 4 | Hapoel Afula | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 38 | 28 | +10 | 47 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 5 | Hapoel Kfar Saba | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 44 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 6 | Hapoel Ashkelon | 30 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 34 | 35 | −1 | 44 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 7 | Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 40 | 37 | +3 | 43 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 8 | Hapoel Ramat Gan | 30 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 39 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 9 | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 33 | 38 | −5 | 39 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 10 | Hapoel Acre | 30 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 27 | 31 | −4 | 35 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 11 | Hapoel Petah Tikva | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 39 | 30 | +9 | 34 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 12 | Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 34 | 43 | −9 | 34 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 13 | Hapoel Marmorek | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 29 | 47 | −18 | 33 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 14 | Hapoel Bnei Lod | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 31 | 40 | −9 | 32 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 15 | Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 31 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 16 | Hapoel Iksal | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 31 | 44 | −13 | 29 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
* ↑ Hapoel Petah Tikva had twelve points deducted for financial offences and failing to pay players wages between March and June 2018.

## Results
### Matches 1–30

| Home \ Away | TAR | HAC | HAF | HAS | HBL | HIX | HKJ | HKS | HMR | HNI | HPT | HRG | HRS | HRL | MAN | SNZ |
| Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 |
| Hapoel Acre | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Hapoel Afula | 2–0 | 1–0 | — | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 |
| Hapoel Ashkelon | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 |
| Hapoel Bnei Lod | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 5–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 |
| Hapoel Iksal | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–3 | — | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | — | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–5 |
| Hapoel Marmorek | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | — | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Hapoel Nazareth Illit | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | — | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Hapoel Petah Tikva | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | — | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–4 |
| Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — | 0–2 | 0–1 |
| Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 0–1 | — | 2–2 |
| Sektzia Ness Ziona | 2–1 | 6–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | — |

## Playoffs
### Promotion playoff
#### Top Playoff table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Hapoel Kfar Saba (P) | 37 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 53 | 38 | +15 | 63 | Promoted to Israeli Premier League |
| 2 | Sektzia Ness Ziona (P) | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 57 | 38 | +19 | 62 | Promoted to Israeli Premier League |
| 3 | Hapoel Nazareth Illit | 37 | 15 | 16 | 6 | 48 | 32 | +16 | 61 | |
| 4 | Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem | 37 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 44 | 42 | +2 | 56 | |
| 5 | Hapoel Afula | 37 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 55 | |
| 6 | Hapoel Ashkelon | 37 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 46 | 47 | −1 | 54 | |
| 7 | Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | 37 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 47 | 44 | +3 | 50 | |
| 8 | Hapoel Ramat Gan | 37 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 38 | 44 | −6 | 41 | |

#### Top Playoff results

| Home \ Away | TAR | HAF | HAS | HKJ | HKS | HNI | HRG | SNZ |
| Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | — | — | — | — | — | | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Hapoel Afula | 2–1 | — | — | 0–0 | | — | 2–0 | — |
| Hapoel Ashkelon | 0–3 | 2–0 | — | | — | — | — | — |
| Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem | 0–0 | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | 1–0 | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | 1–0 | — |
| Hapoel Nazareth Illit | — | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | — | — |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | — | — | 1–3 | — | — | 1–1 | — | |
| Sektzia Ness Ziona | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 0–0 | 1–1 | — | — |

### Relegation playoff
#### Bottom Playoff table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 9 | Hapoel Bnei Lod | 37 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 45 | 48 | −3 | 47 | |
| 10 | Hapoel Petah Tikva | 37 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 46 | |
| 11 | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 37 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 43 | 49 | −6 | 46 | |
| 12 | Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 37 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 40 | 49 | −9 | 46 | |
| 13 | Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | 37 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 41 | 42 | −1 | 45 | |
| 14 | Hapoel Acre (O) | 37 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 37 | 38 | −1 | 45 | Qualification for the Relegation Playoffs |
| 15 | Hapoel Marmorek (R) | 37 | 10 | 7 | 20 | 35 | 58 | −23 | 37 | Relegated to Liga Alef |
| 16 | Hapoel Iksal (R) | 37 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 35 | 61 | −26 | 31 | Relegated to Liga Alef |
* ↑ Hapoel Petah Tikva had twelve points deducted for financial offences and failing to pay players wages between March and June 2018.

#### Bottom Playoff results

| Home \ Away | HAC | HBL | HIX | HMR | HPT | HRS | HRL | MAN |
| Hapoel Acre | — | — | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | — |
| Hapoel Bnei Lod | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | 4–1 | — |
| Hapoel Iksal | — | 0–0 | — | — | 2–5 | — | — | 1–3 |
| Hapoel Marmorek | — | 1–2 | 2–0 | — | — | 1–2 | — | — |
| Hapoel Petah Tikva | — | 0–0 | — | 3–0 | — | — | 0–0 | 3–2 |
| Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | — | — | 2–0 | — | 0–0 | — | — | 1–0 |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 1–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–1 | — | — |
| Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 1–0 | 3–4 | — | 1–1 | — | — | 0–1 | — |

## Positions by round

| Team \ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 |
| Sektzia Ness Ziona | 3 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Hapoel Nazareth Illit | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Hapoel Afula | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Hapoel Ashkelon | 1 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Beitar Tel Aviv | 14 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Hapoel Bnei Lod | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Hapoel Petah Tikva | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
| Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 3 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 9 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 12 |
| Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
| Hapoel Acre | 9 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 14 |
| Hapoel Marmorek | 9 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Hapoel Iksal | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Source: IFA Source:
* Leader and promotion to 2019–20 Israeli Premier League
* Promotion to 2019–20 Israeli Premier League
* Qualification to relegation play-offs
* Relegation to 2019–20 Liga Alef

## Promotion/relegation playoff

The 14th-placed team, Hapoel Acre, faced 2018–19 Liga Alef promotion play-offs winner Maccabi Herzliya in a two-legged tie. The matches took place on 26 and 29 May 2019.
Hapoel Acre won 7–4 on aggregate and remained in Liga Leumit. Maccabi Herzliya remained in Liga Alef.