The 2025/26 Israel Premier League soccer season is upon us as 14 teams will battle it out on the pitches across the Holy Land for the championship that will be awarded in May.
There are many new players who will grace the field of play beginning on Saturday, as well as some up-and-coming stars who will show what they can do against the wily veterans. All of the clubs had issues signing foreign players due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the recent war with Iran. However, that may give some homegrown players the chance to shine in the spotlight.
So buckle up and get ready for another year of thrills and chills.
Maccabi Tel Aviv will look to defend its league title and go for a third championship in a row after having just clipped Hapoel Beersheba at the finish line this past season.
Head coach Zarko Lazetic will have to do without star striker Eran Zahavi, who parted ways with the team after returning from Europe a few years back. The Serbian bench boss will most probably have to do without striker Dor Turgeman, who is heading to North America and the MLS, where he will play with the New England Revolution. Weslley Patati is also leaving the squad and heading to AZ Alkmaar in Holland, which will force the yellow-and-blue, who will be playing in Europe once again this season, to find new players to fill those holes.
To do just that, Elad Madmon, who has starred in the continental qualifying matches thus far, will definitely pick up some of the scoring slack, while Sayed Abu Farkhi will be another youngster of interest to watch at Maccabi. Add into the mix newcomers Ion Nicolaescu, Itamar Noy, and Kristijan Belic along with Osher Davida, Ido Shachar, and Dor Peretz, and Lazetic should go deep into the championship race once again.
The one area of concern for the yellow-and-bue will be that of the goalkeeper, as Yoav Gerafi is out injured and Roi Mishpati has not always found favor with the bench boss.
New to the scene talents sure to shake up the season
Maccabi Haifa brought on board a brand-new head coach in Diego Flores, who worked under one of the finest minds in the game, Marcelo Bielsa. However, the season hasn’t even begun and the pressure is mounting on the Argentine after the Greens were bounced from Conference League qualifying.
A new strike force has been brought in that includes Djorde Jovanovic, Trivante Stewart, and Kenji Gorre, along with veteran midfielders Ali Mohammed, Dolev Haziza, and Goni Naor, who will look to create scoring chances for the forwards. Haifa has a number of players who have been with the club on the back line, including Pierre Cornud, Abdoulaye Seck, and Sean Goldberg. But the strongest point seems to be in goal, with new recruit Heorhiy Yermakov manning the net, as the Ukrainian-born shot-stopper has been impressive to date.
Beitar Jerusalem will be a team to watch very closely this season, as bench boss Barak Itzhaki has a number of players who can create havoc on the Teddy Stadium pitch, just as they did in their 5-0 thrashing of Hapoel Haifa in the Toto Cup semifinal.
Omer Atzily, Dor Micha, Timoti Muzie, and Yarden Shua have the potential to run circles around their rivals and could very well be the most lethal quartet across the league. Dor Hugi will prove to be a solid addition, while Johnbosco Kalu will be dangerous up front, and Portuguese ’keeper Miguel Silva is back in goal.
Hapoel Beersheba will have Ron Kozuk on the bench for his second season with the outfit, but after coming up short for the championship last year along with being eliminated from Europe, Kozuk will be under the microscope when the campaign opens up.
Kings Kangwa and Alon Turgeman will be key contributors up front, while Dan Bitton, who had a stellar season last year, will shore up the attack from the midfield. Other players to watch out for are Lucas Ventura, Helder Lopes, and Shai Elias as Beersheba looks to duplicate its success from last season.
Hapoel Tel Aviv is back in the top league, and under head coach Eliyaniv Barda, hopes are high that the Reds will be able to challenge for a place in the championship playoffs. While the roster is littered with young guns, the one to watch without question is Daniel Dappa, who arrived from Maccabi Netanya in the offseason. The 17-year-old Israeli striker has been no less than spectacular in the Toto Cup, scoring goals aplenty and showing who’s boss on the pitch. Another exciting player to keep an eye on is Stav Turiel, who also has been filling the goal for the Reds, while new signings Chico and Andrian Kraev will also make an impact during the upcoming campaign.
Maccabi Netanya and its head coach Yossi Abukasis have a trio of critical players who can make or break the season for the diamond city squad. Dangerous midfielder Maxim Plakuschenko is always a threat to create scoring chances, while American Wilson Harris and Cape Verde forward Heriberto Tavares will be relied on to score the goals.
Hapoel Jerusalem head coach Ziv Arie will have his work cut out for him, as the capital city squad will need serious play from strikers Andrew Idoko and Ibeh Ransom, along with midfielder Guy Badash, if the team wants to ensure it plays competitive soccer this season.
Hapoel Haifa has rookie head coach Gal Arel on the sidelines after spending the past two seasons as an understudy for Roni Levy. With that, Arel will be in for a rough debut season, as the Carmel Reds have a number of league veterans including Dor Malul, Naor Sabag, and Javon East. However, it will be a tough campaign ahead.
Hapoel Petah Tikva and rookie head coach Omer Peretz will have their work cut out for them, but can rely on Israeli league stalwart James Adeniyi along with Ivory Coast newcomer Jocelin Tabi to provide a 1-2 punch for the club.
Bnei Sakhnin will have Sharon Mimer as its bench boss this coming season after having guided Maccabi Bnei Reineh to a number of successful campaigns. Ahmed Salman will be the main force up front, but Mimer will be counted on to mold the team into his image in order to be able to compete.
Maccabi Bnei Reineh made a change on the sidelines as Slobodan Drapic replaced Sharon Mimer, who led the side to much success over the past few seasons. Mohammed Shaker will be the key in the attack, while ’keeper Gad Amos will anchor the back as Reineh looks to once again be the darlings of the league.
Ironi Kiryat Shemona’s Shay Barda will have a challenging time this coming season, as once again the team will be forced to play away from its home stadium up in the north due to damage from the war. With that, Sekou Bangoura and Aviv Avraham will be important in manning the midfield should the Northerners succeed, while Daniel Tenenbaum will be in goal.
Ironi Tiberias and its bench boss Eliran Hodeida avoided relegation last season, but this year it may need a lot more luck not to head down to the second division. Stanislav Bilenkyi will be the player to watch, as the Ukrainian will be relied on to find the back of the goal.
Ashdod SC, under veteran head coach Haim Silvas, has struggled in the preseason without a win in Toto Cup play. Eugene Ansah, who has played in Israel for a number of years, will be counted on to score for the port city side, which will no doubt have a difficult season ahead.