Friday league matches to continue next season

Israel’s football league will keep playing matches on Fridays next season, the league administration said during the fixture draw. Chairman Erez Kalfon said the pilot had been successful, and that during winter time matches will again be scheduled on Fridays, including at 3:00 p.m.

Kalfon also addressed the congested playoff schedule, which had become necessary because of the war but could now become permanent. He said the league will appoint a team to examine whether playoff games can be played at a higher frequency, similar to last season, in order to make the competition more exciting. "We are aware of the workload, but this was something that added a lot of interest and we will try to do it again next season," he said.

The administration also said Hapoel Ramat Gan plans to host its home matches at the new stadium in Rehovot, לפחות until Ramat Gan Stadium is ready. Hapoel Jerusalem will also play at the new stadium until Teddy Stadium returns to use, after being shut because of Maccabiah-related events. Beitar Jerusalem has not yet announced where it will host its home games.