Hapoel Rishon LeZion F.C.

Hapoel Rishon leZion
Hapoel Rishon LeZion's emblem
Full nameHapoel Rishon LeZion
הפועל ראשון לציון
NicknameRishonia
Founded1940 (1940)
GroundHaberfeld Stadium, Rishon LeZion
Capacity6,000
OwnerAmos Luzon
ManagerElad Brown
LeagueLiga Leumit
2025–26Liga Leumit, 8th of 16

Hapoel Rishon LeZion F.C. (Hebrew: הפועל ראשון לציון) is an Israeli football club based in the city of Rishon LeZion, which currently plays in Liga Leumit, Israel's second football division. Home matches are hosted at the Haberfeld Stadium. In 1991, the club changed its name to Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion (Hebrew: הפועל עירוני ראשון לציון), and in June 2008 the name was switched back to Hapoel Rishon LeZion following a change in ownership.[1]

History

Hapoel Rishon LeZion was one of the first clubs in the history of league football in Israel. The football section of the Sports club was established in 1929,[2] and played several matches since 1933,[3][4] including competing at the Palestine Cup in 1937 and 1939. The club was formally established in 1940.[5][6]

Its best achievements were runner-up of the Israel State Cup in 1946 and 1996. On both occasions it lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Following its cup final in 1996, it played in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, but was eliminated in the qualifying round by Constructorul Chisinau of Moldova on away goals rule (0–1, 3–2).

The club played at the top division in Mandatory Palestine for the first time at the 1941–42 season and after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, became founder members of the Israeli League in 1949. In 1951–52, the club finished second bottom and dropped to the second tier.

Between 1952 and 1994 the club played just three seasons in the top division: 1978–79, 1980–81 (where they finished sixth) and 1981–82. In the 1991–92 season, while playing in Liga Alef, the third tier, it added the word Ironi to its name, and in the next two seasons, made two successive promotions and returned to the top flight once again after winning Liga Artzit in the 1993–94 season.[1] This time the club managed to stay nine consecutive seasons in the top league until it was relegated to the second tier, (Liga Leumit), at the end of the 2002–03 season, and three seasons later dropped further down to Liga Artzit, the third tier at the time.

In June 2008, the businessmen Raviv Sapir and Ron Hadad acquired ownership of the club and secured guarantees from the Rishon LeZion municipality to cover the estimated 6 million NIS debt of the club, along with a guarantee to economically support the clubs youth academy with an approximate 800,000 NIS annually. following the change in ownership the club changed its name back to Hapoel Rishon LeZion and was promoted to the second tier (Known as Liga Leumit).

In 2010–11, the club was promoted to the Israeli Premier League, the top tier. They were relegated back to Liga Leumit the following season.

On 4 December 2012, Hapoel Rishon LeZion won the 2012–13 Toto Cup Leumit.

In 2017–18, the club was just one point short of being promoted to the top tier, The Israeli Premier League, finishing third. In the following year, 2018–19, the club finished twelfth, and narrowly avoided relegation.

In 2023-24, on 28 July 2023, the club sold Mohamed Bamba, an Ivorian striker who played for the club and the youth team for 3.5 years, to Austrian club Wolfsberger AC for 200,000€ and a 20% sell-on fee. After scoring 8 goals and 4 assists in 17 games in the 2023–24 Austrian Football Bundesliga and 2023–24 Austrian Cup, Wolfsberger AC sold Bamba to French club FC Lorient for 5,000,000€, securing Rishon 1,000,000€ from the sell-on. Bamba went on to score 8 goals and 3 assists in 16 games in the 2023–24 Ligue 1.

Season-by-season
SeasonLeague TierLeague PositionIsraeli CupToto CupNotes
2004–0526thRound of 32X
2005–06211thRound of 16XNo toto cup before 2006–07.
2006–0732ndDNPXNo toto cup in 3rd tier
2007–08211thRound of 169th-10th
2008–0934thRound of 64XNo toto cup in 3rd tier
2009–1028thRound of 642nd
2010–1122ndRound of 165th-8th
2011–12115thRound of 329th-16th
2012–1326thSemi Finals1st
2013–14211thQuarter FinalsXThe Toto Cup was not held that year.
2014–15210thRound of 329th-16th
2015–16212thRound of 169th-16th
2016–17210thRound of 169th-16th
2017–1823rdRound of 325th-8th
2018–19212thRound of 649-10th
2019–2025thRound of 323rd-4th
2020–2124thRound of 325th-6th
2021–22214thRound of 327thWon the Promotion/relegation playoff
2022–23212thRound of 321st
2023-24213thRound of 1615th-16th
2024-25213thSeventh roundth-th

Current squad

As to 5 August 2026
No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ISR Shahar Amsalem
5 DF  ISR Shavit Elgabi
8 MF  ISR Tom Berkovic
9 FW  ISR Yehuda Balay
10 FW  NGA Ezekiel Henty
11 FW  ISR Roey Ben Shimon
14 MF  ISR Daniel Bohadana
15 MF  ISR Liel Chane
17 FW  LTU Eligijus Jankauskas
20 DF  ISR Dolev Azulay
21 DF  ISR Liam Levi
No. Pos. Nation Player
24 MF  ISR Yosef Balata
27 FW  ISR Hisham Taha
30 MF  ISR Ido Davidovich
31 DF  ISR Peleg Daudi
33 DF  ISR Ori Tzaadon
35 MF  ISR Roei Yaron
36 DF  ISR Shay Konstantini
55 GK  ISR Eliran Gomalski
77 MF  ISR Ronen Peretz
99 DF  ISR Haroun Shapso

International former players

Europe

Asia

Africa

Central and North America

Israel

Managers

Honours

League

Honour No. Years
Second tier 1 1993–94
Third tier 3 1964–65, 1988–89, 1992–93

Cups

Honour No. Years
Toto Cup (second division) 2 2012–13, 2022–23

European record

Season Round Opponents Home leg Away leg Aggregate
1996–97 Qualifying Round Moldova Constructorul Chişinău 3–2 0–1 3–3 (a)

References

  1. 1 2 History of Hapoel Rishon LeZion F.C. Hapoel Rishon LeZion fans Official Site (in Hebrew)
  2. ↑ At the centennial, Rishon LeZion will be at the top (Page 9) Hadshot HaSport, 16 May 1980, archive.football.co.il (in Hebrew)
  3. ↑ At the EIFA Davar, 1 December 1933, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  4. ↑ Activities in Liga Bet South division Do'ar HaYom 15 December 1933, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  5. ↑ The Stadium Hapoel Rishon LeZion Official Site (in Hebrew)
  6. ↑ Club Hapoel Rishon LeZion fans official website (in Hebrew)
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