Liga Artzit
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Liga Artzit (Hebrew: ליגה ארצית) is the tier of Israeli football after Ligat Ha'Al and Liga Leumit, and is run by the Israel Football Association. Its name translates as Nationwide League.
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[edit] 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, 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.
At the end of the season, providing they meet certain criteria, the top two teams are promoted to Liga Leumit, and are replaced by the bottom two teams from that league. The teams finishing 11th and 12th in Liga Artzit are relegated to Liga Alef, where they are assigned to a geographically suitable division. They are replaced by the champions of Liga Alef North and Liga Alef South providing they meet criteria for entry into Liga Artzit.
[edit] History
Liga Artzit came into existence in 1974 with a restructuring of Israeli football. It replaced Liga Alef 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 Ligat Ha'Al. Since then it has consisted of 12 teams.
[edit] Previous seasons
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up | Relegated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-00 | Hapoel Ramat Gan | Beitar Tel Aviv¹ | Hapoel Ironi Dimona, Hapoel Iksal |
| 2000-01 | Hapoel Ra'anana | Maccabi Kfar Kana | Maccabi Ashkelon, Maccabi Sha'arim |
| 2001-02 | Hapoel Jerusalem | Hapoel Nazareth Illit | Hapoel Taibe, Maccabi Yavneh |
| 2002-03 | Hakoakh Ramat Gan | Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona | Hapoel Bat Yam, Hapoel Kfar Semia |
| 2003-04 | Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon | Hapoel Acre | Hapoel Tira, Hapoel Beit She'an |
| 2004-05 | Hapoel Ashkelon | Maccabi Be'er Sheva | Hapoel Majdal al-Karoum² |
| 2005-06 | Hapoel Bnei Lod | Maccabi Akhi Nazareth | Tzafririm Holon, Maccabi Tzur Shalom |
| 2006-07 |
¹ Beitar Tel Aviv were not promoted
² Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata finished in 11th place, but were reprieved when Maccabi Ramat Amidar folded
[edit] Liga Artzit clubs, 2006-07
| Club |
Finishing position in the 2005-06 season |
|---|---|
| Beitar/Shimshon Tel Aviv | 6th |
| Hapoel Bnei Timra | 1st in Liga Alef North |
| Hapoel Hertzelia | 8th |
| Hapoel Marmorek | 4th |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | 10th |
| Hapoel Ironi Rishon leZion | 11th in Liga Leumit |
| Maccabi Be'er Sheva | 12th in Liga Leumit |
| Maccabi HaShikma/Ramat Hen | 9th |
| Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata | 3th |
| Maccabi Kfar Kana | 5th |
| Maccabi Tirat Carmel | 7th |
| Sektzia Nes Tziona | 1st in Liga Alef South |
[edit] External links
| League competitions | The IFA | Cup competitions |
|---|---|---|
| Ligat ha'Al (Premier League) | Israel | State Cup |
| Liga Leumit (National League) | (U-21) | Toto Cup |
| Liga Artzit (Nationwide League) | List of clubs | |
| Liga Alef (A League) | List of venues | |
| Liga Bet (B League) | ||
| Liga Gimel (C League) | ||
| Israeli football league system | Records | |
| Women's football in Israel | ||
| League competitions | Cup competitions | |
| Women's Liga Leumit | Israel women | State Cup for Women |
| List of clubs | ||
