Hapoel Kiryat Shmona Secures Toto Cup Semifinal Spot with Significant Financial Gains

Hapoel Kiryat Shmona defeated Hapoel Haifa 3-1 in the final group stage match of the Toto Cup on August 8, 2026, securing a place in the tournament's semifinals. The northern club, coached by Shai Berada, guaranteed themselves a substantial financial reward of approximately 500,000 shekels just by advancing to this stage. Additionally, the semifinal match is expected to generate significant revenue from ticket sales, especially if Kiryat Shmona hosts Hapoel Tel Aviv at the Miriam Stadium, with around 6,000 tickets anticipated to be sold, potentially adding at least 420,000 shekels to the club's income.

However, there is a possibility that Maccabi Netanya could reach the semifinals and host Maccabi Tel Aviv at Miriam Stadium, which would give them priority over Kiryat Shmona. In that scenario, Kiryat Shmona would have to play their semifinal match at either the stadium in Petah Tikva or Bnei Brak, with preference for the former. 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.