New Rehovot Stadium Hosts Premier League Matches Amid Mixed Fan Feedback

The newly opened stadium in Rehovot, Israel's newest sports venue, recently began hosting Premier League football matches, including games for Hapoel Jerusalem and Hapoel Ramat Gan. Hapoel Jerusalem will use the stadium for home games until the sixth round of the season due to renovations at Teddy Stadium, with their first scheduled league match against Maccabi Tel Aviv potentially postponed. Hapoel Ramat Gan inaugurated the stadium with a Toto Cup match against Hapoel Petah Tikva, where Shavit Mazal scored the first-ever goal at the venue. Ramat Gan plans to return to their home stadium mid-season but will host matches against Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Maccabi Netanya in Rehovot beforehand.

The stadium seats 6,000 spectators across two stands of 3,000 seats each, with plans to add two more stands behind the goals, each holding 2,000 seats. It is designed as a smaller, nearly square field reminiscent of traditional neighborhood pitches, aiming to create an intimate atmosphere. It will also serve as a home ground for Hapoel Marmorek from Liga Alef and Kiryat Gat from the National League, with other teams potentially using it temporarily.

Players generally rated the pitch as average compared to other Premier League fields, but praised the spacious locker rooms and the proximity of the stands to the field, which enhances the feeling of being "inside the game." Fans appreciated the excellent sightlines, acoustics, and facilities, rating restrooms and sound quality highly. However, they criticized the limited parking and incomplete infrastructure outside the stadium, noting traffic congestion and police unpreparedness during events with relatively low attendance (851 fans, 14% capacity). The lobby and narrow passageways between the stadium and stands were also points of concern.

Despite these issues, supporters of smaller clubs enjoyed the intimate setting and open-air design, which avoids a cramped feeling. The stadium is conveniently located about a 15-minute walk from the local train station, facilitating access and contributing to the development of sports culture in the area. Architect Ran Anfi emphasized the stadium's intentional design as a smaller venue, contrasting with modern large-scale stadiums.

The Toto Cup matches have introduced the stadium to Israeli football fans, marking a new chapter for Rehovot's sports scene as it prepares to host more top-tier games in the coming months.