Israeli Soccer League Friday Games Show Mixed Attendance in Pilot Program
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Israeli soccer's Premier League is continuing a pilot program featuring Friday games, despite varied attendance. Seven previous matches drew over 83,000 fans, averaging nearly 12,000 each, but with significant disparities. A match between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem attracted over 23,000 fans, while another game saw fewer than 1,200. Maccabi Tel Aviv, a major club, is scheduled to play on Friday for the first time in over 20 years.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli soccer's Friday game pilot program shows mixed attendance figures.
- Seven previous Friday games attracted 83,328 spectators, averaging 11,904 each.
- Hapoel Tel Aviv vs. Hapoel Jerusalem drew 23,100 fans, the highest turnout.
- Hapoel Kiryat Shmona vs. Hapoel Haifa had the lowest attendance with 1,188 fans.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv is playing on Friday for the first time in over 20 years.
The Israeli Premier League is continuing its pilot program of scheduling games on Fridays, with the league management considering it a success. However, attendance figures for these Friday matches show significant variation. In the seven previous games held under this pilot, a total of 83,328 spectators attended, averaging approximately 11,904 per game.
The attendance numbers ranged widely. The lowest turnout was for the match between Hapoel Kiryat Shmona and Hapoel Haifa in November 2024, which drew only 1,188 fans. In contrast, the game between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem in February 2026 attracted 23,100 fans, and another Hapoel Tel Aviv match against Hapoel Be'er Sheva in May 2026 brought 22,700 to Bloomfield Stadium. The Jerusalem derby between Beitar and Hapoel in February 2025 saw 16,536 spectators, while Hapoel Jerusalem versus Maccabi Haifa in November 2024 had 12,576 attendees.
Other Friday games included Maccabi Netanya hosting Hapoel Jerusalem in January 2026 with 3,812 fans, and Hapoel Jerusalem playing Hapoel Petah Tikva later that month with 3,416 spectators. Notably, Maccabi Tel Aviv, a prominent team, had not played on a Friday in over two decades. Their last Friday game was on February 24, 2006, a 1-1 draw against Hapoel Nazareth Illit at Bloomfield Stadium, which featured a penalty save, a rebound goal, and two red cards, including one for coach Eyal Berkovic.
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