Hapoel Kiryat Shmona Secures Toto Cup Semifinal Spot, Boosting Club Revenue

Hapoel Kiryat Shmona defeated Hapoel Haifa 3-1 on August 8, 2026, securing their place in the Toto Cup semifinals. This victory guarantees the northern club a significant financial boost, with a prize of approximately 500,000 shekels for reaching the semifinals. Additionally, the club expects substantial income from ticket sales for the semifinal match, which could bring in at least 420,000 shekels if they host Hapoel Tel Aviv at the Miriam Stadium, with an estimated attendance of around 6,000 fans.

However, there is a possibility that Maccabi Netanya could host the semifinal if they advance, as they would have priority over Kiryat Shmona to host Maccabi Tel Aviv at Miriam Stadium. In that scenario, Kiryat Shmona would play their home semifinal match at either the stadium in Petah Tikva or Bnei Brak, with preference given to the Petah Tikva venue.

This marks Kiryat Shmona's first return to the Toto Cup semifinals since August 2019, when they lost 1-0 to Maccabi Tel Aviv under coach Moshe Dego. The club hopes for a better outcome this time against their city rivals. The Toto Cup remains an important competition for the club both competitively and financially.