Natali Berto to Lead Maccabi Tel Aviv Women’s Handball Team in Premier League Debut

For the first time in Israeli handball history, Maccabi Tel Aviv will compete in the Women’s Premier Handball League in the 2026/2027 season. The team is finalizing its roster and will open the league on October 8 with a home game against A.K. Nes Ziona. Natali Berto, 38, a former Israeli national player with a distinguished career including 11 national championships and 10 state cups, will serve as player-coach for the team. Berto’s playing career began at Bnot Herzliya, where she won 10 championships and 10 cups over 11 seasons, followed by stints at Hapoel Petah Tikva, Maccabi Rishon LeZion, and B.S. Ramat Hasharon.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s women’s handball development started five years ago with a youth department, which recently won a northern district championship and state cup under coach Bar Gatzel. Berto has coached the club’s youth teams for four years and now takes on her first Premier League coaching role. The club praised her combined experience as a player and coach, aiming to build a competitive team and continue advancing women’s handball at Maccabi.

Berto expressed pride and excitement about becoming the first coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s senior women’s team, calling the club her home and emphasizing her commitment to promoting quality, professional, and competitive women’s handball. She aims to build a dedicated, hardworking, and united team that represents the club with pride. Il Prolinger, chairman of Maccabi’s handball department, highlighted the historic nature of the upcoming season and praised Berto’s leadership on and off the court. He noted the youth team’s recent double victory and hopes the senior team will achieve future successes, focusing this season on establishing a strong professional foundation in Israeli women’s handball.