Hapoel Haifa Begins 2026/27 Season Preparations With New Trialists and Coaching Changes

Hapoel Haifa officially kicked off preparations for the 2026/27 season on Monday with their first training session under coach Haim Silvas, who led the team to remain in the Israeli Premier League last season. The session included current squad members and new arrivals, but notable absences were Liran Sardal and Itay Buganim, who are still negotiating their futures with the club. Alon Turgeman, Naor Sabag, and Dario Zuparic are set to join training later Monday evening.

Two trialists participated in the opening practice: Piras Agbariya, a youth product of Maccabi Netanya who played last season for Hapoel Ramat Gan, and Lior Rokach, a former Hapoel Hadera player. Both are being evaluated for potential inclusion in the squad. The roster remains open as Hapoel Haifa aims to finalize it before departing for their training camp in Bulgaria on July 13.

The club is targeting additional signings, including a foreign winger and an Israeli left-back, with one candidate reportedly Guy Sankar from Kiryat Yam. The coaching staff also saw a change with the arrival of new goalkeeping coach Eliad Graf, replacing Ran Kadush who moved to Maccabi Netanya. Monday’s training took place on the synthetic field in Kiryat Yam, with plans to return to their regular training facility at Beit Nagler early next week.