Liga Artzit

Liga Artzit (Hebrew: ליגה ארצית‎, lit. Country League) is the defunct third division of Israeli Football League, beneath its highest division Premier League and the second division Liga Leumit. Before being cancelled in 2009, it was run by the Israel Football Association. It was replaced by Liga Alef.

Liga Artzit
Founded1976 (1976)
Folded2009 (2009)
Country Israel
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toLiga Leumit
Relegation toLiga Alef
Domestic cup(s)State Cup
Toto Cup Artzit

Structure

There were 12 teams in Liga Artzit. Each team played 33 matches; the first 22 matches were 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 were awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. Final League positions were 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.

In the past at the end of the season, providing they met certain criteria, the top two teams weren 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 was abolished at the end of the 2008–09 season as part of structural reforms to the Israeli league system that saw the Premier League and Liga Leumit both expanded to 16 clubs.[1] At the end of the season the top seven clubs were promoted to Liga Leumit; the 8th placed club was played in a play-off round against the 11th placed club in Liga Leumit for a place in Liga Leumit, whilst the 9–12th placed clubs was relegated to Liga Alef.

History

Liga Artzit came into existence in 1976 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 comprised twelve 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 16.

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.

In 2009, Liga Artzit was closed.

Previous seasons
Season Winner Also promoted Relegated
Second tier
1976–77Hapoel HaderaBeitar Netanya, Maccabi Hadera
1977–78Bnei YehudaMaccabi Petah Tikva, Hapoel Kfar Saba,
Hapoel Rishon LeZion		Hapoel Beit Shemesh,
Maccabi Sha'arayim
1978–79Hakoah Ramat GanMaccabi Ramat Amidar, Hapoel Petah TikvaHapoel Marmorek,
Hapoel Netanya, Hapoel Ashdod
1979–80Hapoel JerusalemHapoel Ramat Gan, Hapoel Rishon LeZionHapoel Bat Yam,
Hapoel Tirat HaCarmel, Hapoel Herzliya
1980–81Beitar Tel AvivBeitar Jerusalem, Maccabi HaifaHapoel Hadera, Hapoel Holon, Maccabi Herzliya
1981–82Hapoel LodHapoel Ramat Gan, Maccabi YavneMaccabi Kiryat Gat, Beitar Netanya, Hapoel Tiberias
1982–83Beitar Tel AvivHakoah Ramat Gan, Maccabi Ramat AmidarMaccabi Shefa-'Amr, Hapoel Acre, Hapoel Tel Hanan
1983–84Hapoel HaifaHapoel Kfar Saba, Hapoel Petah TikvaHapoel Beit She'an, Hapoel Nazareth Illit,
Hapoel Beit Shemesh
1984–85Bnei YehudaMaccabi Sha'arayim, Hapoel JerusalemHapoel Ashkelon, Hapoel Rishon LeZion,
Hapoel Kiryat Shmona
1985–86Beitar NetanyaBeitar Tel Aviv, Hapoel LodHapoel Ramat HaSharon, Hapoel Beit Shemesh,
Beitar Haifa
1986–87Tzafririm HolonHapoel Marmorek1, Hapoel Beit She'an,
Beitar Ramla, Beitar Nahariya, Hapoel Dimona
1987–88Hapoel JerusalemHapoel TiberiasHakoah Ramat Gan, Hapoel Acre
1988–89Hapoel Ramat GanHapoel Yehud, Beitar Ramla
1989–90Tzafririm HolonHapoel Tel AvivMaccabi Tamra1, Hapoel Rishon LeZion,
Hapoel Lod
1990–91Maccabi Petah TikvaMaccabi YavneHapoel Bat Yam1, Maccabi Ramat Amidar,
Hapoel Tirat HaCarmel
1991–92Beitar JerusalemHapoel HaifaBeitar Netanya, Hapoel Tiberias
1992–93Maccabi HerzliyaIroni Ashdod, Hapoel Kfar SabaHapoel Ramat Gan, Maccabi Sha'arayim
1993–94Hapoel Rishon LeZionHapoel Beit She'an, Beitar Tel AvivMaccabi Acre, Hapoel Daliyat al-Karmel
1994–95Maccabi JaffaHapoel Kfar SabaHapoel Ashkelon, Hapoel Lod
1995–96Hapoel TayibeHapoel JerusalemShimshon Tel Aviv, Hapoel Kfar Shalem
1996–97Hapoel AshkelonIroni AshdodHapoel Kiryat Shmona, Hapoel Hadera
1997–98Maccabi JaffaTzafririm HolonHapoel Ramat Gan, Maccabi Yavne
1998–99Maccabi NetanyaHapoel Ashdod, Beitar Tel Aviv, Hapoel Bat Yam,
Maccabi Kafr Kanna, Hapoel Lod,
SK Nes Tziona, Hapoel Tayibe
Third tier
1999–2000Hapoel Ramat GanHapoel Ironi Dimona, Hapoel Iksal
2000–01Hapoel Ra'ananaMaccabi Kafr KannaMaccabi Ashkelon, Maccabi Sha'arayim
2001–02Hapoel JerusalemHapoel Nazareth IllitHapoel Tayibe, Maccabi Yavne
2002–03Hakoah Ramat GanIroni Kiryat ShmonaHapoel Bat Yam, Hapoel Kafr Sumei
2003–04Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharonHapoel AcreHapoel Tira, Hapoel Beit She'an
2004–05Hapoel AshkelonMaccabi Be'er ShevaHapoel Majd al-Krum2
2005–06Hapoel Bnei LodMaccabi Ahi NazarethTzafririm Holon, Maccabi Tzur Shalom
2006–07Hapoel Ramat GanHapoel Ironi Rishon LeZionHapoel Herzliya,
Maccabi Be'er Sheva
2007–08Hapoel JerusalemMaccabi Ironi Kiryat AtaMaccabi HaShikma Ramat Hen,
Hapoel Kfar Shalem
2008–09Sektzia Nes TzionaHapoel Ashkelon, Hapoel Marmorek,
Ironi Rishon LeZion, Ironi Bat Yam,
Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv, Hapoel Nazareth Illit		Maccabi Kafr Kanna, Bnei Tamra,
Hapoel Umm al-Fahm, Hapoel Bnei Jadeidi,
Maccabi Tirat HaCarmel

1. After promotion/relegation play-offs.

2. Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata finished in 11th place, but were reprieved when Maccabi Ramat Amidar folded.

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References
  1. Reforming structure of the leagues – full plan Archived 2008-07-01 at the Wayback Machine Israeli Football Association, 24 June 2008 (in Hebrew)
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