Eyal Berkovich Deal to Acquire Nof HaGalil Football Club Collapses Over Financial Disputes

Negotiations for Eyal Berkovich to become the owner of the Israeli football club Nof HaGalil have fallen through due to significant disagreements over financial terms, guarantees, and staffing arrangements. Although the deal appeared finalized as of July 12, 2026, last-minute demands by Berkovich's lawyer to amend certain contract clauses led to the collapse of the agreement. A senior insider familiar with the talks told Sport 5 that the deal was "closed yesterday," but the refusal to accept legal changes caused the negotiations to end abruptly.

This marks the third time in recent years that Berkovich has come close to acquiring Nof HaGalil, with previous attempts failing primarily due to the club's accumulated financial deficits. This time, club chairman Gil Baram had committed to clearing all past debts and even postponed a family vacation to complete the preparations during the off-season. Berkovich was expected to take over a debt-free club and gain control of the youth division as part of the preliminary agreement.

Berkovich's brother, Nir Berkovich, played a key role in the negotiations, acting as the intermediary with Baram and holding a mandate from Eyal to advance the deal. Despite efforts from Israeli football officials to revive the transaction through mediation, optimism remains low that a resolution will be reached soon. For now, Berkovich will not be returning to Israeli football ownership.