Liga Artzit

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Liga Artzit

Liga Artzit (lit. State League) is the third tier of Israeli football after the Premier League and Liga Leumit

Liga Leumit

Liga Leumit is the second tier in the Israeli football below the Israeli Premier League. One Liga Leumit match is shown each week on Channel 1 ....
, and is run by the Israel Football Association

Israel Football Association

The Israel Football Association , also known as the IFA, is the governing body of football in Israel. It organizes the football leagues, Israeli Premier League, Israeli Cup and the Israel national football team....
.

e are 12 teams in Liga Artzit. Each team plays thirty three matches; the first 22 matches are played on a home and away basis, with the last 11 fixtures based on league positions after 22 games. Like the majority of leagues in the world, three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss.

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Encyclopedia

Liga Artzit (lit. State League) is the third tier of Israeli football after the Premier League and Liga Leumit

Liga Leumit

Liga Leumit is the second tier in the Israeli football below the Israeli Premier League. One Liga Leumit match is shown each week on Channel 1 ....
, and is run by the Israel Football Association

Israel Football Association

Structure

There are 12 teams in Liga Artzit. Each team plays thirty three matches; the first 22 matches are played on a home and away basis, with the last 11 fixtures based on league positions after 22 games. Like the majority of leagues in the world, three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. Final League positions are determined firstly by points obtained, then by goal difference

Goal difference

In sports such as ice hockey and Association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
, then goals scored, and if necessary, a mini-league of the results between two or more teams ranked using the previous three criteria and finally a series of one or more play off matches.

In the past at the end of the season, providing they meet certain criteria, the top two teams have been promoted to Liga Leumit, and were replaced by the bottom two teams from that league. The teams finishing 11th and 12th in Liga Artzit were relegated to Liga Alef, where they were assigned to a geographically suitable division. They were replaced by the champions of Liga Alef North and Liga Alef South providing they meet criteria for entry into Liga Artzit.

However, the league will be abolished at the end of the 2008-09 season as part of structural reforms to the Israeli league system that will see the Premier League and Liga Leumit both expanded to 16 clubs. At the end of the season the top seven clubs will be promoted to Liga Leumit; the 8th placed club will play off against the 11th placed club in Liga Leumit for a place in Liga Leumit, whilst the 9-12th placed clubs will be relegated to Liga Alef.

History

Liga Artzit came into existence in 1974 with a restructuring of Israeli football. It replaced Liga Alef

Liga Alef

Liga Alef is the fourth tier of the Israeli football league system....
as the second division (below Liga Leumit), and unlike its regionalised predecessor, was a nationwide league (hence its name). For its first season, Liga Artzit was comprised of 12 teams. Four teams were demoted from Liga Leumit as it was reduced in size, and the top four clubs from Liga Alef North and Liga Alef South were promoted. In later seasons the number of members varied, though the usual number of clubs was 14.

In 1999 Liga Artzit was demoted to the third tier after the creation of the Premier League. Since then it has consisted of 12 teams.

Previous seasons

Season	Winner	Also promoted	Relegated
Second tier
1974-75
1975-76
1976-77 Liga Artzit 1976-77 The 1976-77 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Hadera F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit. Only one club was promoted as Liga Leumit was being reduced in size from 16 to 14 clubs....	Hapoel Hadera Hapoel Hadera F.C. Hapoel Hadera F.C. is an Israeli association football club from Hadera. They currently play in Liga Alef, the fourth level of Football in Israel, but have previously spent eight seasons in the top division....		Beitar Netanya, Maccabi Hadera
1977-78 Liga Artzit 1977-78 The 1977-78 Liga Artzit season saw Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. win the title and win promotion to Liga Leumit. Maccabi Petah Tikva F.C., Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C....	Bnei Yehuda	Maccabi Petah Tikva, Hapoel Kfar Saba, Hapoel Rishon LeZion	Hapoel Beit Shemesh, Maccabi Sha'arayim Maccabi Sha'arayim F.C. Maccabi Sha'arayim is an Israeli football club based in Rehovot. They currently play in the South B division of Liga Bet, but spent several seasons in the top division in the 1960s....
1978-79 Liga Artzit 1978-79 The 1978-79 Liga Artzit season saw Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan F.C. win the title and win promotion to Liga Leumit. Maccabi Ramat Amidar F.C. and Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C. were also promoted....	Hakoah Ramat Gan	Maccabi Ramat Amidar Maccabi Ramat Amidar F.C. Maccabi Ramat Amidar was an Israeli football club based in Ramat Gan. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but in 2005 merged into Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan F.C., which became Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan F.C..... , Hapoel Petah Tikva	Hapoel Marmorek, Hapoel Netanya, Hapoel Ashdod
1979-80
1980-81 Liga Artzit 1980-81 The 1980-81 Liga Artzit season saw Beitar Tel Aviv F.C. win the title and win promotion to Liga Leumit. Beitar Jerusalem F.C. and Maccabi Haifa F.C. were also promoted....	Beitar Tel Aviv	Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Haifa F.C. Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football club and one of the leading football clubs in the country. They have won 10 championships, 5 State Cups and 3 Toto Cups....
1981-82
1982-83 Liga Artzit 1982-83 The 1982-83 Liga Artzit season saw Beitar Tel Aviv F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit. Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan F.C. and Maccabi Ramat Amidar F.C....	Beitar Tel Aviv	Hakoah Ramat Gan, Maccabi Ramat Amidar Maccabi Ramat Amidar F.C. Maccabi Ramat Amidar was an Israeli football club based in Ramat Gan. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but in 2005 merged into Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan F.C., which became Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan F.C.....	Maccabi Shefa-'Amr, Hapoel Acre Hapoel Acre F.C. Hapoel Acre F.C. is an Israeli Association football club based in Acre, Israel. The club is currently in Liga Leumit and plays in dark blue shirts with white sleeves, dark blue shorts and white socks.... , Hapoel Tel Hanan
1983-84 Liga Artzit 1983-84 The 1983-84 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Haifa F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit. Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C. and Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C....	Hapoel Haifa	Hapoel Kfar Saba, Hapoel Petah Tikva	Hapoel Beit She'an Hapoel Beit She'an F.C. Hapoel Beit She'an was an Israeli football club based in Beit She'an. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the 1990s, but after several relegations, folded in 2006.... , Hapoel Nazareth Illit, Hapoel Beit Shemesh
1984-85
1985-86 Liga Artzit 1985-86 The 1985-86 Liga Artzit season saw Beitar Nes Tubruk F.C. promoted to Liga Leumit for the first time in the club's history. Beitar Tel Aviv F.C....	Beitar Netanya	Beitar Tel Aviv, Hapoel Lod Hapoel Lod F.C. Hapoel Lod was an Israeli football club based in Lod. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the 1960s and 1980s, and won the Israel State Cup in 1984....	Hapoel Ramat HaSharon Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon F.C. Hapoel Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon is an Israeli association football based in Ramat HaSharon. They are currently in Liga Leumit and plat at the Yankela Grundman Stadium, named after Ya'akov Grundman, a former manager of the Israel national football team.... , Hapoel Beit Shemesh, Beitar Haifa Beitar Haifa F.C. Beitar Haifa F.C. is an Israeli football club based in Haifa. The club currently plays in the North B division of Liga Bet....
1986-87
1987-88
1988-89
1989-90 Liga Artzit 1989-90 The 1989-90 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. and Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. promoted to Liga Leumit. At the other end of the table, Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion F.C....	Tzafririm Holon Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. is an Israeli football club based in the city of Holon. The club was founded in the 1980s by a merger of Hapoel Holon and Tzafririm Holon....	Hapoel Tel Aviv	Maccabi Tamra¹, Hapoel Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Lod Hapoel Lod F.C. Hapoel Lod was an Israeli football club based in Lod. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the 1960s and 1980s, and won the Israel State Cup in 1984....
1990-91
1991-92
1992-93
1993-94 Liga Artzit 1993-94 The 1993-94 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion F.C., Hapoel Beit She'an F.C. and Beitar Tel Aviv F.C. promoted to Liga Leumit. Shimshon Tel Aviv F.C., who finished fourth, missed out on promotion after losing a play-off with top flight club Hapoel Haifa F.C.....	Hapoel Rishon LeZion	Hapoel Beit She'an Hapoel Beit She'an F.C. Hapoel Beit She'an was an Israeli football club based in Beit She'an. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the 1990s, but after several relegations, folded in 2006.... , Beitar Tel Aviv	Maccabi Acre Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata F.C. Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata is an Israeli association football club, located in Kiryat Ata. They are in Liga Artzit and play at the Kiryat Ata Municipal Stadium.... , Hapoel Daliyat al-Karmel
1994-95
1995-96 Liga Artzit 1995-96 The 1995-96 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Tayibe F.C. win the title and become the first ever Arab citizens of Israel club to be promoted to the Liga Leumit....	Hapoel Tayibe Hapoel Tayibe F.C. Hapoel Tayibe F.C. was an Israeli football club based in Tayibe. In 1996 they became the first ever Arab citizens of Israel club to play in the top division....	Hapoel Jerusalem	Shimshon Tel Aviv, Hapoel Kfar Shalem
1996-97 Liga Artzit 1996-97 The 1996-97 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Ashkelon F.C. win the title and earn promotion to the Liga Leumit for the first time in their history....	Hapoel Ashkelon	Ironi Ashdod Maccabi Ironi Ashdod F.C. Maccabi Ironi Ashdod F.C. , commonly known as just Ironi Ashdod was an Israeli football club from the port city of Ashdod. In 1999, it merged with local rivals Hapoel Ashdod to create F.C....	Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. is an Israeli Association football club based in Kiryat Shmona. The club is currently in the Israeli Premier League and plays at the Kiryat Shmona Municipal Stadium.... , Hapoel Hadera Hapoel Hadera F.C. Hapoel Hadera F.C. is an Israeli association football club from Hadera. They currently play in Liga Alef, the fourth level of Football in Israel, but have previously spent eight seasons in the top division....
1997-98 Liga Artzit 1997-98 The 1997-98 Liga Artzit season saw Maccabi Jaffa F.C. win the title and earn promotion to the Liga Leumit. Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. were also promoted....	Maccabi Jaffa	Tzafririm Holon Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. is an Israeli football club based in the city of Holon. The club was founded in the 1980s by a merger of Hapoel Holon and Tzafririm Holon....	Hapoel Ramat Gan, Maccabi Yavne Maccabi Yavne F.C. Maccabi Yavne is an Israeli football club based in Yavne. They currently play in the South Division of Liga Alef....
1998-99 Liga Artzit 1998-99 The 1998-99 Liga Artzit season was the last in which the league was the Israel's second tier, as at the end of the season the Israeli Premier League came into existence, replacing Liga Leumit as the country's top division....	Maccabi Netanya		Hapoel Ashdod, Beitar Tel Aviv, Hapoel Bat Yam, Maccabi Kafr Kanna Maccabi Kafr Kanna F.C. Maccabi Kafr Kanna is an Israeli football club based in Kafr Kanna. The club is currently in Liga Artzit and plays its home matches at the Azmi Nassar Stadium, named after Azmi Nassar... , Hapoel Lod Hapoel Lod F.C. Hapoel Lod was an Israeli football club based in Lod. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the 1960s and 1980s, and won the Israel State Cup in 1984.... , SK Nes Tziona, Hapoel Tayibe Hapoel Tayibe F.C. Hapoel Tayibe F.C. was an Israeli football club based in Tayibe. In 1996 they became the first ever Arab citizens of Israel club to play in the top division....
Third tier
1999-00 Liga Artzit 1999-00 The 1999-2000 Liga Artzit season was the first in which Liga Artzit was the third tier of Football in Israel due to the formation of the Israeli Premier League....	Hapoel Ramat Gan		Hapoel Ironi Dimona, Hapoel Iksal
2000-01 Liga Artzit 2000-01 The 2000-01 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Ra'anana F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit alongside runners-up Maccabi Kafr Kanna F.C.....	Hapoel Ra'anana	Maccabi Kafr Kanna Maccabi Kafr Kanna F.C. Maccabi Kafr Kanna is an Israeli football club based in Kafr Kanna. The club is currently in Liga Artzit and plays its home matches at the Azmi Nassar Stadium, named after Azmi Nassar...	Maccabi Ashkelon, Maccabi Sha'arayim Maccabi Sha'arayim F.C. Maccabi Sha'arayim is an Israeli football club based in Rehovot. They currently play in the South B division of Liga Bet, but spent several seasons in the top division in the 1960s....
2001-02 Liga Artzit 2001-02 The 2001-02 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Jerusalem F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit alongside runners-up Hapoel Nazareth Illit F.C.....	Hapoel Jerusalem	Hapoel Nazareth Illit	Hapoel Tayibe Hapoel Tayibe F.C. Hapoel Tayibe F.C. was an Israeli football club based in Tayibe. In 1996 they became the first ever Arab citizens of Israel club to play in the top division.... , Maccabi Yavne Maccabi Yavne F.C. Maccabi Yavne is an Israeli football club based in Yavne. They currently play in the South Division of Liga Alef....
2002-03 Liga Artzit 2002-03 The 2002-03 Liga Artzit season saw Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit alongside runners-up Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C.....	Hakoah Ramat Gan	Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. is an Israeli Association football club based in Kiryat Shmona. The club is currently in the Israeli Premier League and plays at the Kiryat Shmona Municipal Stadium....	Hapoel Bat Yam, Hapoel Kisra-Sumei
2003-04 Liga Artzit 2003-04 The 2003-04 Liga Artzit season saw Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit alongside runners-up Hapoel Acre F.C.....	Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon F.C. Hapoel Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon is an Israeli association football based in Ramat HaSharon. They are currently in Liga Leumit and plat at the Yankela Grundman Stadium, named after Ya'akov Grundman, a former manager of the Israel national football team....	Hapoel Acre Hapoel Acre F.C. Hapoel Acre F.C. is an Israeli Association football club based in Acre, Israel. The club is currently in Liga Leumit and plays in dark blue shirts with white sleeves, dark blue shorts and white socks....	Hapoel Tira, Hapoel Beit She'an Hapoel Beit She'an F.C. Hapoel Beit She'an was an Israeli football club based in Beit She'an. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the 1990s, but after several relegations, folded in 2006....
2004-05 Liga Artzit 2004-05 The 2004-05 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Ashkelon F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit alongside runners-up Maccabi Be'er Sheva F.C.....	Hapoel Ashkelon	Maccabi Be'er Sheva Maccabi Be'er Sheva F.C. Maccabi Be'er Sheva F.C. , is an Israeli football team based in Beersheba. While not nearly as popular as their city rivals, Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C., the club made great strides in recent years including gaining promotion from Liga Bet to the Liga Leumit in just four seasons....	Hapoel Majd al-Krum²
2005-06 Liga Artzit 2005-06 The 2005-06 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Bnei Lod F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit alongside runners-up Maccabi Ahi Nazareth F.C.....	Hapoel Bnei Lod	Maccabi Ahi Nazareth	Tzafririm Holon Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. is an Israeli football club based in the city of Holon. The club was founded in the 1980s by a merger of Hapoel Holon and Tzafririm Holon.... , Maccabi Tzur Shalom
2006-07 Liga Artzit 2006-07 The 2006-07 Liga Artzit season saw Hapoel Ramat Gan F.C. win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit alongside runners-up Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion F.C.....	Hapoel Ramat Gan	Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion	Hapoel Herzliya Hapoel Herzliya F.C. Hapoel Herzliya is an Israeli football club based in Herzliya. The club is currently in Liga Alef and play their home matches at the Herzliya Municipal Stadium.... , Maccabi Be'er Sheva Maccabi Be'er Sheva F.C. Maccabi Be'er Sheva F.C. , is an Israeli football team based in Beersheba. While not nearly as popular as their city rivals, Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C., the club made great strides in recent years including gaining promotion from Liga Bet to the Liga Leumit in just four seasons....
	Hapoel Jerusalem	Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata F.C. Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata is an Israeli association football club, located in Kiryat Ata. They are in Liga Artzit and play at the Kiryat Ata Municipal Stadium....	Maccabi HaShikma/Ramat Hen, Hapoel Kfar Shalem

¹ After promotion/relegation play-offs.

² Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata

Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata F.C.

Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata is an Israeli association football club, located in Kiryat Ata. They are in Liga Artzit and play at the Kiryat Ata Municipal Stadium....
finished in 11th place, but were reprieved when Maccabi Ramat Amidar folded.

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