Kiryat Shmona Football Club Faces Fourth Season Without Home Stadium Amid Ongoing War Damage
Kiryat Shmona, Israel's northernmost city, continues to suffer from the prolonged conflict with repeated rocket attacks that have severely damaged homes, the commercial center, and twice the municipal stadium. The extended evacuation during the fighting led to over 10,000 residents, about 40 percent of the population, not returning, severely impacting local commerce, education, and community life.
The city's football team, once a source of pride with championship titles and player development, has been displaced for four seasons. The club has been forced to train in various locations, including Shfayim and host matches at Netanya Stadium, with local fans unable to attend home games. The municipal stadium remains in disrepair, with no grass on the field, broken seating, and unfinished locker rooms and facilities. Work on renovations is slow, with only two workers observed during a recent site visit, and the club expresses frustration over the lack of progress and uncertainty about when they can return.
The team planned to resume home games in March 2026 for the playoffs, but renewed fighting in Lebanon postponed this. Renovations face bureaucratic delays, contractor demands for increased costs, global supply chain issues, and extensive war damage beneath the pitch, requiring comprehensive repairs rather than temporary fixes. The club estimates the financial burden of displacement at around four million shekels per season, covering hotels, transportation, training facilities, and stadium rental.
City officials report ongoing extensive restoration efforts, including replacing the turf, irrigation, seating, electrical systems, and spectator services. They acknowledge delays caused by the war, planning complexities, and supply issues but hope to have the field ready for training by late September and league matches to resume in the coming months, pending official approvals. However, club insiders remain pessimistic, expecting a possible return to home games only by early 2027.
This situation highlights the broader challenges facing Kiryat Shmona as it struggles to recover from the conflict's physical and social impacts, with the football club's displacement symbolizing the city's ongoing hardships and uncertain future.
