Full name | Hapoel Tel-Aviv Football Club מועדון כדורגל הפועל תל אביב |
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Nickname(s) | The Red Demons, The Workers השדים האדומים, הפועלים |
Founded | 1923 |
Ground | HaMoshava Stadium (2016-2019) |
Capacity | 11,500 |
Owner | Nisanov Group |
Chairman | Unknown |
Manager | Meni Koretski |
League | Israeli Premier League |
2015–16 | Israeli Premier League, 9th |
Website | Club home page |
Hapoel Tel-Aviv Football Club (Hebrew: הפועל תל-אביב, Moadon HaKaduregel Hapoel Tel Aviv, nicknamed "The Reds") is an Israeli football club based in Tel Aviv. The club currently competes in the Israeli Premier League and plays its home matches at the Bloomfield Stadium. To date, the club has won thirteen championships and sixteen State Cups. In 1967 Hapoel Tel Aviv became the first club to win the Asian Club Championships.
Since 1995 the club has competed in European club competitions, and has the highest rank among all Israeli clubs, with some outstanding achievements, such as wins against Chelsea, Milan, Hamburg, Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, Rangers, and Celtic. It is also one of only 3 Israeli teams to have qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage, and one of the 2 which are ordinary members of the European Club Association.
The club name, "Hapoel", translates to "The Worker", and combined with its red Hammer and sickle crest represents the club ties to Socialism and working class. For seven decades, the club was owned by Israeli largest trade union.
Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. was originally established in 1923, but was disbanded soon after. The club was re-formed in 1925, and then for a third time in May 1926. In 1927 the club merged with Allenby F.C., giving the club its modern form. It is part of the Hapoel sports association which was affiliated with the Histadrut trade union, and supporters of the club were often referred to as communists.