1998–99 Liga Alef

The 1998–99 Liga Alef season was held between 11 September 1998 and 29 May 1999. It was the last season (until 2009–10) in which Liga Alef was the third tier of Israeli football, as the creation of the Israeli Premier League in the summer of 1999 meant that it became the fourth tier.

Due to the restructuring, two clubs were due to be promoted from each division; Hapoel Ra'anana and Hapoel Nazareth Illit from the north and Hapoel Dimona and Hapoel Ramat Gan from the south.

During the summer of 1999, Maccabi Jaffa were demoted to Liga Alef (from Liga Leumit) after their budget was not approved by the Israel Football Association, which resulted in Maccabi Sha'arayim (the third-placed club with the highest points total) being promoted alongside the top two from the South Division. In addition, Hapoel Ashdod, Hapoel Lod and SK Nes Tziona were all demoted from Liga Artzit after their budgets were not approved by the IFA. This resulted in the third- and fourth-placed clubs from the North Division (Hapoel Iksal and Hapoel Acre) and the fourth-placed club in the South Division (Shimshon Tel Aviv) also being promoted.

North Division

Pos Club P W D L GF GA GD Pts Notes
1Hapoel Ra'anana30188471353662Promoted to
Liga Artzit
2Hapoel Nazareth Illit301610454272758
3Hapoel Iksal3014793832649
4Hapoel Acre3012994741645
5Hapoel Majd al-Krum30135124742544
6Maccabi Shefa-'Amr30133144045-542
7Maccabi Afula30126124957-842
8Maccabi Isfiya30117124542340
9Hapoel Migdal HaEmek301010104745240
10Hapoel Hadera30117124543240
11Maccabi Tamra30117124450-640
12Hapoel Kiryat Shmona30109114743439
13Maccabi Tur'an30108123447-1338
14Hapoel Kafr Kanna30107135053-337
15Hapoel Umm al-Fahm30991248480331Relegated to
Liga Bet
16Hapoel Kafr Qasim3016231268-569

1. Three points deducted due to crowd trouble.

South Division

Pos Club P W D L GF GA GD Pts Notes
1Hapoel Dimona30215461233868Promoted to
Liga Artzit
2Hapoel Ramat Gan30189371323963
3Maccabi Sha'arayim30188455282762
4Shimshon Tel Aviv30177663303358
5Maccabi Ashkelon30166857322554
6Hapoel Or Yehuda30137105147446
7Hapoel Nahlat Yehuda30142144649-344
8Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon30101193431341
9Maccabi Ramat Amidar30117123541-640
10Hapoel Mevaseret Zion30106144548-336
11Hapoel Kfar Shalem3098133840-235
12Maccabi Yavne3098133950-1135
13Tzeirei Jaffa30104164570-2534
14Maccabi Lazarus Holon3087153961-2231
15Hapoel Yeruham3065194380-3723Relegated to
Liga Bet
16Beitar Ramla300030060-6001

1. Beitar Ramla withdrew after 15 rounds. Their record was expunged and all results awarded as a 2–0 defeat.

References