Maccabi Haifa Opens 2026/27 Israeli Premier League Season Against Newly Promoted Hapoel Ramat Gan

Maccabi Haifa aims to start fresh in the 2026/27 Israeli Premier League season with a home match against newly promoted Hapoel Ramat Gan on August 19 at Sammy Ofer Stadium. After a challenging previous season and a concerning Toto Cup performance, Haifa includes new striker Andreja Novaković on the bench for his debut. The starting lineup features left-back Tsunami, center-back Nigel Lonwijk partnering with Pedro, and Brazilian signing Bruninho alongside Yarin Levi in midfield. The forward trio consists of Kenny Saif, new captain Kenji Gorré, and Silva Kani.

Hapoel Ramat Gan returns to the top division after 13 years, coached by Masai Dego. They face the match without suspended defender Jota, with Dudi Twito replacing him alongside Omer Itzhaki in central defense. The midfield includes Sergej Mićković Mijailović, Maksim Plakuschenko, and Ido Oli, while Idan Barnes starts up front over Marius Novisi.

The match is part of the first round of the league, with other fixtures scheduled for August 20 and 21. The league table is currently empty as no games have been played yet. Upcoming matches include Ironi Tiberias vs. Hapoel Petah Tikva and Maccabi Petah Tikva vs. Ironi Kiryat Shmona. Some matches have been postponed to early September, including Hapoel Be'er Sheva vs. Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv vs. Beitar Jerusalem.