Israeli Soccer League Considers Friday Games After Successful Pilot
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
Israeli soccer league is considering continuing Friday games after a successful pilot program, with recent Friday matches drawing an average of nearly 12,000 spectators. Attendance figures have varied widely, from over 23,000 for some high-profile games to just over 1,000 for others. Maccabi Tel Aviv, playing its first Friday game in 20 years, hosted Maccabi Petah Tikva on Friday.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli soccer league is evaluating Friday games after a successful pilot program.
- Seven pilot Friday games averaged 11,904 spectators each.
- Attendance ranged from 1,188 to 23,100 spectators in pilot games.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv played its first Friday game in 20 years on Friday.
- The pilot program included games from November 2024 to February 2026.
Maccabi Tel Aviv is set to host Maccabi Petah Tikva on Friday, marking a return to the league's schedule for Friday matches following a successful pilot program last season. The game is scheduled for 2:00 PM at Bloomfield Stadium.
During the pilot phase, seven previous Friday games attracted a total of 83,328 spectators, averaging approximately 11,904 per match. However, attendance varied significantly. The lowest turnout was 1,188 for a match between Hapoel Kiryat Shmona and Hapoel Haifa in November 2024. In contrast, the game between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem in February 2026 drew 23,100 fans, and a May match between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Be'er Sheva saw 22,700 attendees.
Other notable Friday game attendances included the Jerusalem derby between Beitar and Hapoel in February 2025 with 16,536 spectators, and Hapoel Jerusalem versus Maccabi Haifa in November 2024, which had 12,576 fans. Two other Friday games in January 2026 saw lower numbers: Maccabi Netanya vs. Hapoel Jerusalem had 3,812 attendees, and Hapoel Jerusalem vs. Hapoel Petah Tikva drew 3,416.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has not played on a Friday in over two decades. Their last Friday fixture was on February 24, 2006, a 1-1 draw against Hapoel Nazareth Illit at Bloomfield Stadium. That game was marked by a penalty save, a rebound goal, and two red cards, leaving Maccabi with nine players against ten.
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