Israeli football league system

The Israeli football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Israel. The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels, and allows even the smallest club to dream of rising to the very top of the system. There are five levels, containing a total of 16 divisions. It is run by the Israel Football Association (IFA).

The top division of Israeli football is the Premier League. Liga Leumit is the second tier. These two divisions all operate at the national level.

Below Liga Leumit the divisions are split into regionalised leagues. Liga Alef is the third tier, and is split into north and south divisions. Liga Bet, the fourth tier, is divided into four regionalised leagues. Liga Gimel, the bottom division of Israeli football, is split into eight regionalised leagues.

League football in Mandatory Palestine began in 1931, and second and third tiers were added to the league as early as 1937. However, football was then disrupted by the Arab revolt and then World War II. In 1947, league football resumed with two tiers, the top Palestine League and the second tier Liga Bet.

Following the Israeli Declaration of Independence and War of Independence, football league action resumed in 1949, with a two-tier league, the second served as a temporary second division, titled Liga Meuhedet (lit. 'Special League'). The following season, league football was cancelled due to disagreements between the Maccabi and Hapoel factions in the IFA. With the return of league football the following season, a third tier was added, and the leagues were assigned as Liga Alef (lit. 'League A'), Liga Bet ('League B') and Liga Gimel ('League C').

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