Maccabi Haifa Finalizes Goalkeeper Lineup for 2026/27 Season

Maccabi Haifa officially announced the signing of goalkeeper Omer Niraon on loan from Maccabi Netanya, designating him as the second-choice goalkeeper for the 2026/27 season. The club's first-choice goalkeeper remains Omri Glazer, who is expected to start in the upcoming Toto Cup ranking match against Hapoel Jerusalem. Glazer has not played since his injury against Kiryat Shmona and a minor car accident but is recovering quickly and is also slated to start the league opener against Hapoel Ramat Gan.

Glen Alvin, who performed well during Glazer's absence, will return as the third-choice goalkeeper after spending several years with the youth team. Mark Golenkov will begin the season as the top goalkeeper for the youth squad, following an impressive campaign in the UEFA Youth League last year. Niraon is expected to provide backup and competition for Glazer throughout the season.

Last season, coach Barak Bachar gave opportunities to then-second goalkeeper Sharif Kiyouf, who suffered an Achilles injury that ended his season during the State Cup semi-final against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi Haifa has effectively overhauled its goalkeeper roster, replacing last season's goalkeepers Georgi Yermakov (sold to Metalist), Kiyouf (injured), and Roy Fox (retired and now club manager). The current goalkeeper hierarchy is Omri Glazer as first choice, Omer Niraon second, Glen Alvin third, and Mark Golenkov leading the youth team.