Israeli Premier League
The Ligat ha Al (Hebrew ליגת העל ), currently officially after the sponsor Ligat Toto called (Hebrew ליגת טוטו ), is the top division in Israeli football. The name Ligat ha Al can be translated into German in about with Oberliga, sometimes the name Super League will be used.
General
The Ligat ha Al was founded in 1999 by the Israel Football Association as part of a reorganization of the league system. It replaced the League Leumit as the highest league, which thus became the second league. Participants in the first 1999/2000 season were the 13 best of the previous year plus the master of the until then second-rate league Artzit. The following year there were three relegated with only one riser to reduce the number of teams to twelve. For the 2009/10 season was an increase to 16 teams, but this was reduced again to 14 for the 2012/13 season. The league has changed its name several times because of sponsors change, they already called Ligat Pelephone or currently Ligat Toto.
Competition
Since the 2012/13 season, the Israeli championship is played with 14 instead of the previous 16 clubs. To this end, up to the end of the 2011/12 season, exceptionally three teams in the league Le'umit from and only one on.
After the regular season (26 games), the first six teams will play from a master round in which everyone plays twice against every. The clubs start with the full score from the main round. The first table after the completion of ten days the game Master Round is an Israeli champion and taking part in the qualification for the UEFA Champions League. The following two teams take as well as the Cup Winners part in qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.
The final eight teams play a relegation round each against each, but in which each only once played against each other. The top four clubs are slightly preferred because they get a home game more than the other four. Here, the score from the preliminary round will also be transferred, the two last-place teams at the end rise in the league Le'umit off and are replaced by the two best placed teams there.
Sponsor
Since 2002, the Ligat ha Al is supported by sponsors. The official name of the Israeli Premier League is governed by the sponsor:
- 2002-2004: Pelephone ( Ligat Pelefon ליגת פלאפון )
- Since 2005: Toto Organization ( Ligat Toto ליגת טוטו )
Foreign Players
Currently the number of foreign players per team is limited to five.
TV rights
The Charlton Group since 2004, holds the rights to broadcast the Ligat ha Al. The games will be shown on pay-per -view basis. An important game will be Monday in the free television. Saturday there is also a summary of the games.
Teams 2012/13
The following clubs take part in the 2012/13 season:
- Maccabi Haifa
- Hapoel Tel Aviv
- Maccabi Tel Aviv
- Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv
- Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona
- Maccabi Netanya
- Hapoel Akko
- Hapoel Be'er Sheva
- Hapoel Haifa
- Beitar Jerusalem
- MS Ashdod
- Bnei Sakhnin FC
- Hapoel Ironi HaScharon
- Hapoel Ramat Gan
Master
The Israeli championship has been held since 1932. Since 1948, as Ligat A, since 1999 as Ligat ha Al.
Before Israeli independence
Israeli championship
Since 1999, as Ligat ha Al
- 2004/ 05: Maccabi Haifa
- 2005/ 06: Maccabi Haifa
- 2006/ 07: Beitar Jerusalem
- 2007/ 08: Beitar Jerusalem
- 2008/ 09: Maccabi Haifa
- 2009/10: Hapoel Tel Aviv
- 2010/11: Maccabi Haifa
- 2011/12: Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona
- 2012/13: Maccabi Tel Aviv
Championships
UEFA five year ranking
Position in the UEFA five year ranking (in brackets the previous year placement). The abbreviation CL and EL countries behind the coefficients indicate the number of representatives in the 2014/15 season of the Champions League and the Europa League.
As of the end of the European campaign of 2012/13