2015–16 Liga Alef

The 2015–16 Liga Alef season saw Ironi Nesher (champions of the North Division) and Maccabi Sha'arayim (champions of the South Division) win the title and promotion to Liga Leumit.

The clubs which were ranked between 2nd to 5th places in each division competed in a promotion play-offs, in which the winners, F.C. Kafr Qasim, advanced to the final round, where they lost 1-3 on aggregate to the 14th placed club in Liga Leumit, Hapoel Jerusalem. Thus, F.C. Kafr Qasim remained in Liga Alef.

At the bottom, the bottom two clubs in each division, Maccabi Sektzia Ma'alot-Tarshiha, Ihud Bnei Majd al-Krum (from North division), Bnei Eilat and Hapoel Morasha Ramat HaSharon (from South division) were all automatically relegated to Liga Bet, whilst the two clubs which were ranked in 14th place in each division, Maccabi Daliyat al-Karmel and Maccabi Ironi Amishav Petah Tikva entered a promotion/relegation play-offs. Maccabi Daliyat al-Karmel prevailing to stay in Liga Alef, while Maccabi Ironi Amishav Petah Tikva were relegated after losing the play-offs.

Changes from last season

Team changes

• Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem and Hapoel Ashkelon were promoted to Liga Leumit; Ironi Tiberias (to North division) and Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan (to South division) were relegated from Liga Leumit.
• Beitar Nahariya and Maccabi Umm al-Fahm were relegated to Liga Bet from North division, whilst F.C. Givat Olga folded following a merger with Hapoel Hadera;^[1] Hapoel Kafr Kanna, Hapoel Ironi Baqa al-Gharbiyye and Hapoel Iksal were promoted to the North division from Liga Bet.
• Maccabi Be'er Sheva and Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi were relegated to Liga Bet from South division; Hapoel Bik'at HaYarden and Bnei Eilat were promoted to the South division from Liga Bet.

North Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Ironi Nesher (C, P)	30	19	7	4	52	18	+34	64	Promotion to Liga Leumit
2	Hapoel Hadera	30	16	8	6	52	31	+21	56	Promotion play-offs
3	Ironi Tiberias	30	13	12	5	35	20	+15	51
4	Hapoel Herzliya	30	14	7	9	44	29	+15	49
5	Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata	30	12	9	9	37	23	+14	45
6	Hapoel Kafr Kanna	30	11	10	9	30	31	−1	43
7	Hapoel Ironi Baqa al-Gharbiyye	30	9	15	6	33	28	+5	41[a]
8	F.C. Karmiel Safed	30	11	6	13	36	43	−7	39
9	Hapoel Migdal HaEmek	30	10	8	12	33	40	−7	38
10	Hapoel Beit She'an	30	10	8	12	26	35	−9	38
11	Hapoel Iksal	30	8	13	9	32	31	+1	37
12	Hapoel Asi Gilboa	30	8	12	10	34	31	+3	36
13	Maccabi Tzur Shalom	30	9	9	12	28	39	−11	36
14	Maccabi Daliyat al-Karmel	30	5	14	11	32	35	−3	28[a]	Relegation play-offs
15	Maccabi Sektzia Ma'alot-Tarshiha (R)	30	7	7	16	25	52	−27	28	Relegation to Liga Bet
16	Ihud Bnei Majd al-Krum (R)	30	3	5	22	15	58	−43	14

Updated to match(es) played on 28 April 2016. Source: The Israel Football Association (in Hebrew)
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. No points or goals were awarded for Maccabi Daliyat al-Karmel - Hapoel Ironi Baqa al-Gharbiyye match, which was abandoned due to brawl after 87 minutes, at 1-1.^[2][3]

South Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Maccabi Sha'arayim (C, P)	30	21	4	5	54	19	+35	67	Promotion to Liga Leumit
2	Sektzia Nes Tziona	30	18	5	7	51	24	+27	59	Promotion play-offs
3	Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa	30	14	8	8	42	25	+17	50
4	F.C. Kafr Qasim	30	13	10	7	45	27	+18	49
5	Hapoel Azor	30	14	7	9	42	28	+14	49
6	Hapoel Kfar Shalem	30	15	4	11	49	40	+9	49
7	Hapoel Marmorek	30	14	6	10	34	26	+8	48
8	Hapoel Bik'at HaYarden	30	13	5	12	35	39	−4	44
9	Hapoel Hod HaSharon	30	12	4	14	38	40	−2	40
10	Hapoel Mahane Yehuda	30	10	8	12	25	28	−3	38
11	Beitar Kfar Saba	30	10	7	13	35	40	−5	37
12	F.C. Shikun HaMizrah	30	10	4	16	28	53	−25	34
13	Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan	30	8	9	13	26	43	−17	33
14	Maccabi Amishav Petah Tikva	30	7	10	13	29	43	−14	31	Relegation play-offs
15	Bnei Eilat (R)	30	6	9	15	27	45	−18	27	Relegation to Liga Bet
16	Hapoel Morasha (R)	30	2	6	22	16	64	−48	12

Updated to match(es) played on 28 April 2016. Source: The Israel Football Association (in Hebrew)
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Promotion play-offs

First round

Second and third placed clubs played single match at home against the fourth and fifth placed clubs in their respective regional division.

Hapoel Hadera	2 – 1	Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata
Megira 10' (o.g.) Elimelech 29'	Report (in Hebrew)	Balilti 48'

6 May 2016

15:00 UTC+3

Givat Olga Stadium, Hadera

Referee: Liran Liani

Ironi Tiberias	2 – 0	Hapoel Herzliya
Elkabetz 10' Berzik 53'	Report (in Hebrew)

6 May 2016

15:00 UTC+3

Municipal Stadium, Tiberias

Referee: Sahar Arbeli

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Sektzia Nes Tziona	1 – 1 (a.e.t.)	Hapoel Azor
Gerassi 9'	Report (in Hebrew)	Hajaj 33'
Penalties
Levy Sharon Zohar Hazom	1–3	Hajaj Asher Ashkenazi

6 May 2016

15:00 UTC+3

Ness Ziona Stadium, Ness Ziona

Referee: Menashe Masiah

Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa	0 – 0 (a.e.t.)	F.C. Kafr Qasim
	Report (in Hebrew)
Penalties
Tzagai Sulimanov Aflalo	0–3	HaLevy Danon Frej

6 May 2016

15:00 UTC+3

Hatikva Neighborhood Stadium, Tel Aviv

Referee: Ziv Adler

Hapoel Hadera and Ironi Tiberias (from North division) and F.C. Kafr Qasim and Hapoel Azor (from South division) advanced to the second round.

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Second round

The winners of the first round played single match at home of the higher ranked club (from each regional division).

Hapoel Hadera	3 – 0	Ironi Tiberias
Azoulay 38' Timinhar 58' Guma 69'	Report (in Hebrew)

13 May 2016

15:00 UTC+3

Givat Olga Stadium, Hadera

Referee: Roi Reinshreiber

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F.C. Kafr Qasim	2 – 0	Hapoel Azor
Even 52' Cohen 56'	Report (in Hebrew)

13 May 2016

15:00 UTC+3

Winter Stadium, Ramat Gan

Referee: Eli Hacmon

Hapoel Hadera and F.C. Kafr Qasim advanced to the third round.

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Third round

Hapoel Hadera and F.C. Kafr Qasim faced each other for a single match in neutral venue. The winner advanced to the fourth round against the 14th placed club in Liga Leumit.

Hapoel Hadera	2 – 2 (a.e.t.)	F.C. Kafr Qasim
Ababa 45' Azoulay 82'	Report (in Hebrew)	Danon 53' R. Sarsour 69'
Penalties
Guma Janah Zalka Turgeman Zabag	4–5	HaLevy Danon Frej Ma. Sarsour Even

18 May 2016

17:30 UTC+3

Toto Stadium, Herzliya

Referee: Menashe Masiah

F.C. Kafr Qasim advanced to the promotion/relegation play-offs.

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Fourth round - promotion/relegation play-offs

F.C. Kafr Qasim faced the 14th placed in 2015–16 Liga Leumit, Hapoel Jerusalem. The winner on aggregate earned a spot in the 2016–17 Liga Leumit. The matches took place on May 27 and 31, 2016.

F.C. Kafr Qasim	0 - 1	Hapoel Jerusalem
	Report (in Hebrew)	I. Cohen 35'

27 May 2016

16:00 UTC+3

Winter Stadium, Ramat Gan

Referee: Eli Hacmon

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Hapoel Jerusalem	2 - 1	F.C. Kafr Qasim
G. Cohen 37' Levy 90' (pen.)	Report (in Hebrew)	Mo. Sarsour 72'

31 May 2016

19:00 UTC+3

Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem

Referee: Erez Papir

Hapoel Jerusalem won 3–1 on aggregate and remained in Liga Leumit. F.C. Kafr Qasim remained in Liga Alef.

Relegation play-offs

North play-off

The 14th placed club in Liga Alef North, Maccabi Daliyat al-Karmel, faced the Liga Bet North play-offs winner, Hapoel Umm al-Fahm. The winner earned a spot in the 2016–17 Liga Alef.

Hapoel Umm al-Fahm	0 – 1	Maccabi Daliyat al-Karmel
	Report (in Hebrew)	Malasa 52'

13 May 2016

15:00 UTC+3

Ilut Stadium, Ilut

Referee: Guy Berger

Maccabi Daliyat al-Karmel remained in Liga Alef; Hapoel Umm al-Fahm remained in Liga Bet.

South play-off

The 14th placed club in Liga Alef South, Maccabi Amishav Petah Tikva, faced the Liga Bet South play-offs winner, F.C. Tira. The winner earned a spot in the 2016–17 Liga Alef.

F.C. Tira	1 – 1 (a.e.t.)	Maccabi Amishav Petah Tikva
Mansour 117'	Report (in Hebrew)	Yehudai 120'
Penalties
Sha'ari Kashoua Gindiya Amar	3–1	Lankri Arbiv Zaliat Hemo

13 May 2016

15:00 UTC+3

Toto Stadium, Lod

Referee: Liran Wachsberger

F.C. Tira Promoted to Liga Alef; Maccabi Amishav Petah Tikva relegated to Liga Bet.