Bnot Netanya Start Season With Only 10 Players Amid Registration Issues
In an unusual start to the 2026/27 Israeli Women's Premier League season, Bnot Netanya faced Maccabi Holon in the first official match of the Athena Cup with just 10 players. The team fielded nine outfield players and one goalkeeper, with no substitutes available on the bench. Four of the ten players were youth players. This shortage was due to new and foreign players not yet registered with the football association's control, rendering them ineligible to play.
The situation reflects ongoing uncertainty about Bnot Netanya's participation in the upcoming season. The club has struggled to obtain registration approval, prompting unofficial inquiries by football association officials to Panther Ashdod, a team relegated to the National League last season, to prepare for a possible return to the Premier League. Despite signing several foreign players already in Israel, Bnot Netanya has not completed their registration.
The Athena Cup kicked off amid these challenges, forcing Bnot Netanya to begin the season with a limited squad and no substitution options. A source from the women's league criticized the situation, calling it "the disgrace of women's football in Israel that never ends."
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