2015–16 Liga Gimel
# 2015–16 Liga Gimel

The 2015–16 Liga Gimel season was the 48th season of fifth tier football in Israel, with 108 clubs competing in 8 regional divisions for promotion to Liga Bet.

League matches began on 9 October 2015 and ended on 7 May 2016.

## Review and events

* At the beginning of the season, Liga Gimel clubs competed in the State Cup, the first four rounds played within each division, with the divisional winners qualifying to the nationwide sixth round. F.C. Hatzor HaGlilit (from Upper Galilee division), Hapoel Bnei Arara 'Ara (from Jezreel division), Hapoel Ironi Or Akiva (from Samaria division) and Hapoel Ihud Bnei Jatt (from Sharon division) all won their divisional finals, played on October 2, 2015. The rest of the divisional finals were played on October 20, 2015, with Shimshon Tel Aviv (Tel Aviv division), Nordia Jerusalem (Central division) and Maccabi Ashdod (South division) winning their matches. F.C. Tzeirei Tamra (Lower Galilee division) also won its divisional cup, as its opponent, Haopel Bnei Nujeidat failed to appear to the final.
* On November 26, 2015, following an IFA Disciplinary Committee decision regarding an abandoned match between Hapoel F.C. Hevel Modi'in and Hapoel Ramla, in which the committee decided that both clubs share responsibility for the match being abandoned, F.C. Hevel Modi'in announced its resignation from the league and forfeited its next match against Hapoel Ironi Gedera.
* On December 04, 2015, during an Upper Galilee division match between Bnei Ma'alot Tashiha and F.C. Hatzor HaGlilit, a Ma'alot-Tarshiha player, Asher Elfasi, attacked the referee and the match was abandoned. Elfasi received a lifetime ban.

## Upper Galilee Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | F.C. Julis | 24 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 80 | 22 | +58 | 63 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 2 | Bnei HaGolan VeHaGalil | 24 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 92 | 16 | +76 | 60 | |
| 3 | F.C. Hatzor HaGlilit | 24 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 66 | 18 | +48 | 57 | |
| 4 | Hapoel Bnei Rameh | 24 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 62 | 32 | +30 | 50 | |
| 5 | F.C. Aramshe Danun | 24 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 52 | 49 | +3 | 35 | |
| 6 | Hapoel Bnei Hurfeish | 24 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 49 | 44 | +5 | 35 | |
| 7 | Hapoel Bnei Peki'in | 24 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 34 | |
| 8 | Maccabi Ahva Yarka | 24 | 9 | 2 | 13 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 29 | |
| 9 | Hapoel Merom HaGalil | 24 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 36 | 73 | −37 | 20 | |
| 10 | Hapoel Bnei Bi'ina | 24 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 31 | 76 | −45 | 19 | |
| 11 | Hapoel Tarshiha | 24 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 40 | 71 | −31 | 17 | |
| 12 | Hapoel Jatt Yanuh HaGlilit | 24 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 21 | 63 | −42 | 14 | |
| 13 | Hapoel Nahariya | 24 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 31 | 86 | −55 | 11 | |
| – | Bnei Ma'alot Tarshiha | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | |

* 1 2 The first round match between Hapoel Bnei Peki'in and Bnei HaGolan VeHaGalil was abandoned at the 90th minute as the two teams' benches and several players started fighting. As the two teams were guilty of the match abandonment, the result was set as a 0–0 with no points awarded.
* ↑ On 26 March 2016, Hapoel Jatt Yanuh HaGlilit failed to show for a match against Hapoel Bnei Bi'ina. As this was the third time the club fails to show for a match, the club was expelled from the league, with their results standing and their remaining two matches forfeited.
* ↑ On 4 March 2016, a match between F.C. Hatzor HaGlilit and Bnei Ma'alot Tarshiha was abandoned at the 20th minute, with Hatzor HaGlilit leading 3–0, as Ma'alot Tarshiha players left the pitch after conceding the third goal of the match. The club was expelled from the league and its results were annulled.
* ↑ On 4 December 2015, during a match between Bnei Ma'alot Tashiha and F.C. Hatzor HaGlilit, a Ma'alot-Tarshiha player, Asher Elfasi, attacked the referee and the match was abandoned. Elfasi received a lifetime ban and the club had two points deducted.

## Lower Galilee Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Maccabi Tzeirei Shefa-'Amr | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 53 | 9 | +44 | 58 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 2 | Ahva Arraba | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 56 | 14 | +42 | 58 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 3 | Ironi Bnei Sha'ab | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 57 | 26 | +31 | 56 | |
| 4 | Maccabi Kafr Manda | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 51 | 27 | +24 | 39 | |
| 5 | F.C. Halat el-Sharif | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 35 | 32 | +3 | 29 | |
| 6 | F.C. Tzeirei Tamra | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 26 | |
| 7 | Hapoel Ironi Bnei I'billin | 22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 34 | 58 | −24 | 22 | |
| 8 | Maccabi Ironi Tamra | 22 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 25 | 34 | −9 | 22 | |
| 9 | Haopel Bnei Nujeidat | 22 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 25 | 56 | −31 | 20 | |
| 10 | Hapoel Bnei Deir al-Asad | 22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 42 | 67 | −25 | 19 | |
| 11 | F.C. Bnei Arraba | 22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 34 | 66 | −32 | 16 | |
| 12 | Maccabi Basmat Tab'un | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 49 | −23 | 16 | |
| – | F.C. Tzeirei Ibtin Khawaled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | Maccabi Bnei Deir Hanna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |

* 1 2 AAR–TzS 0–0; TzS–AAR 1–0
* ↑ On 31 January 2016, a match between F.C. Tzeirei Tamra and Ahva Arraba was abandoned on the 67th minute due to crowd violence. For its part in the riot, Tzeirei Tamra had one point deducted.
* ↑ On 18 January 2016, F.C. Tzeirei Ibtin Khawaled failed to show for a match against Hapoel Ironi Bnei I'billin. As this was the third time the club failed to show to a match, it was expelled from the league and its results were annulled.
* ↑ On 13 February 2016, a match between Maccabi Bnei Deir Hanna and F.C. Halat el-Sharif was cancelled due to absence of the mandatory security stewards for the match. As Deir Hanna already was on probation following several instances of failing to show to a match, the club was expelled from the league and its results were annulled.

## Jezreel Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Hapoel Bnei Arara 'Ara | 22 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 67 | 13 | +54 | 60 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 2 | Hapoel Bnei Fureidis | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 62 | 20 | +42 | 54 | |
| 3 | Hapoel Isfiya | 22 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 55 | 25 | +30 | 41 | |
| 4 | Bnei Musheirifa Baiada | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 28 | 26 | +2 | 35 | |
| 5 | Beitar Afula | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 27 | |
| 6 | F.C. Nazareth Illit | 22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 40 | 56 | −16 | 26 | |
| 7 | Maccabi Ahi Arara 'Ara | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 31 | 42 | −11 | 26 | |
| 8 | Beitar Umm al-Fahm | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 27 | 39 | −12 | 25 | |
| 9 | Hapoel Bnei Musmus | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 28 | 39 | −11 | 25 | |
| 10 | Hapoel al-Ittihad Nazareth | 22 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 37 | 52 | −15 | 23 | |
| 11 | Beitar Ein Mahil | 22 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 26 | 51 | −25 | 21 | |
| 12 | F.C. Kfar Kama | 22 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 22 | 54 | −32 | 14 | |
| – | Beitar al-Amal Nazareth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | |

* 1 2 BUF–MUS 1–2; MUS–BUF 0–3
* ↑ On 2 Match 2016, Beitar al-Amal Nazareth failed to show for a match against Bnei Musheirifa Baiada. The club was expelled from the league and its results annulled.
* ↑ On 20 February 2016, a match between Beitar al-Amal Nazareth and Hapoel Bnei Fureidis was abandoned at the 43rd minute as a Beitar al-Amal player, Masud Odetallah stormed into the stands in attempt to attack several visiting fans that verbally assaulted him. The referee dismissed the player and blew for half-time. However, as the referee tried to restart the match after the break, Odetallah refused to leave the pitch, causing the match to be abandoned. For the club's part in the match abandonment, the club had one point deducted.

## Samaria Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Hapoel Tirat HaCarmel | 24 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 79 | 19 | +60 | 59 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 2 | Hapoel Kiryat Yam | 24 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 78 | 12 | +66 | 58 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 3 | Maccabi Isfiya | 24 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 71 | 38 | +33 | 52 | |
| 4 | Maccabi Ironi Barta'a | 24 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 64 | 31 | +33 | 48 | |
| 5 | Maccabi Neve Sha'anan Eldad | 24 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 51 | 41 | +10 | 40 | |
| 6 | Maccabi Tirat HaCarmel | 24 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 55 | 53 | +2 | 35 | |
| 7 | Hapoel Ironi Or Akiva | 24 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 42 | 34 | +8 | 34 | |
| 8 | Beitar Pardes Hanna | 24 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 42 | 34 | +8 | 34 | |
| 9 | Hapoel Ahva Haifa | 24 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 48 | 94 | −46 | 22 | |
| 10 | Beitar Hadera | 24 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 27 | 82 | −55 | 18 | |
| 11 | Hapoel Bnei Jisr az-Zarqa | 24 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 43 | 78 | −35 | 15 | |
| 12 | Hapoel Ein as-Sahala | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 20 | 81 | −61 | 15 | |
| 13 | Hapoel Halissa | 24 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 62 | −42 | 14 | |

* 1 2 EaS–JaZ 2–1; JaZ–EaS 7–1
* ↑ Hapoel Bnei Jisr az-Zarqa had fielded an ineligible player in two matches and had one point deducted.

## Sharon Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Hapoel Ihud Bnei Jatt | 24 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 71 | 19 | +52 | 58 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 2 | Bnei Qalansawe | 24 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 45 | 28 | +17 | 54 | |
| 3 | Ironi Ariel | 24 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 74 | 30 | +44 | 52 | |
| 4 | Hapoel Jaljulia | 24 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 45 | 28 | +17 | 49 | |
| 5 | Shimshon Kafr Qasim | 24 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 57 | 33 | +24 | 45 | |
| 6 | Maccabi HaSharon Netanya | 24 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 60 | 51 | +9 | 40 | |
| 7 | Bnei Ra'anana | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 61 | 67 | −6 | 34 | |
| 8 | Hapoel Oranit | 24 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 41 | 54 | −13 | 30 | |
| 9 | Hapoel Kafr Bara | 24 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 50 | 63 | −13 | 26 | |
| 10 | F.C. Kafr Qasim Nibrass | 24 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 32 | 70 | −38 | 23 | |
| 11 | Shimshon Bnei Tayibe | 24 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 25 | 55 | −30 | 16 | |
| 12 | F.C. Netanya | 24 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 23 | 65 | −42 | 12 | |
| 13 | Beitar Tubruk | 24 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 68 | −51 | 6 | |

* ↑ Beitar Tubruk had fielded an ineligible player and had two points deducted.

## Tel Aviv Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Shimshon Tel Aviv | 26 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 102 | 22 | +80 | 69 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 2 | Maccabi HaShikma Hen | 26 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 110 | 39 | +71 | 62 | |
| 3 | Hapoel Kiryat Shalom | 26 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 72 | 29 | +43 | 61 | |
| 4 | Shikun Vatikim Ramat Gan | 26 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 71 | 37 | +34 | 54 | |
| 5 | Bnei Yehud | 26 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 69 | 42 | +27 | 53 | |
| 6 | Beitar Jaffa | 26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 74 | 55 | +19 | 44 | |
| 7 | Hapoel Neve Golan | 26 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 83 | 51 | +32 | 36 | |
| 8 | Maccabi Spartak Ramat Gan | 26 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 59 | 70 | −11 | 31 | |
| 9 | Otzma Holon | 26 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 58 | 80 | −22 | 28 | |
| 10 | Elitzur Jaffa Tel Aviv | 26 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 53 | 87 | −34 | 23 | |
| 11 | Elitzur Yehud | 26 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 44 | 78 | −34 | 22 | |
| 12 | Maccabi Pardes Katz | 26 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 36 | 126 | −90 | 21 | |
| 13 | Maccabi Ironi Or Yehuda | 26 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 30 | 80 | −50 | 16 | |
| 14 | Beitar Ezra | 26 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 25 | 90 | −65 | 6 | |

## Central Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Nordia Jerusalem | 20 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 96 | 19 | +77 | 53 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 2 | Ironi Lod | 20 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 61 | 26 | +35 | 46 | |
| 3 | Hapoel Ironi Gedera | 20 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 53 | 15 | +38 | 44 | |
| 4 | Maccabi Kiryat Ekron | 20 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 43 | 27 | +16 | 37 | |
| 5 | F.C. Rishon LeZion | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 34 | 47 | −13 | 27 | |
| 6 | Hapoel Tirat Shalom | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 33 | 47 | −14 | 27 | |
| 7 | Hapoel Abirei Bat Yam | 20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 44 | 60 | −16 | 23 | |
| 8 | Hapoel Mevaseret Zion | 20 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 35 | 43 | −8 | 21 | |
| 9 | F.C. Tzeirei Lod | 20 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 29 | 50 | −21 | 19 | |
| 10 | Hapoel Matzliah | 20 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 36 | 53 | −17 | 18 | |
| 11 | Hapoel Ramla | 20 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 26 | 103 | −77 | 1 | |
| – | Hapoel F.C. Hevel Modi'in | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | |

* 1 2 RLZ–TSH 5–1; TSH–RLZ 1–0
* ↑ Hapoel Abirei Bat Yam had two points deducted as they refused to resume their last round match against F.C. Tzeirei Lod after the break since they claimed to receive threats from their opponents.
* ↑ Hapoel Ramla had one point deducted over the events of the match with Hapoel F.C. Hevel Modi'in and one further point deducted as their match against Maccabi Kiryat Ekron was abandoned as their player Avi Dabush attacked the referee.
* ↑ The fourth round match between Hapoel F.C. Hevel Modi'in and Hapoel Ramla was abandoned at the 80th minute, with Hevel Modi'in leading 7–1 due to a brawl between the two teams. As the two teams were found guilty of the match abandonment, the result was set as a 0–0 with no points awarded and a further point was deducted from each team. As a result of the decision, Hevel Modi'in alerted the IFA of their intent to withdraw immediately from the league and their results were annulled.

## South Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Maccabi Ashdod | 28 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 120 | 24 | +96 | 77 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 2 | Maccabi Ironi Sderot | 28 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 75 | 22 | +53 | 68 | Promotion to Liga Bet |
| 3 | A.S. Ashdod | 28 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 105 | 25 | +80 | 65 | |
| 4 | Hapoel Bnei Ashdod | 28 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 94 | 31 | +63 | 64 | |
| 5 | Hapoel Yeruham | 28 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 67 | 22 | +45 | 53 | |
| 6 | F.C. Be'er Sheva Haim Levy | 28 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 82 | 73 | +9 | 48 | |
| 7 | F.C. Arad | 28 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 57 | 70 | −13 | 38 | |
| 8 | Elitzur Ironi Yehuda | 28 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 45 | 77 | −32 | 31 | |
| 9 | F.C. Tzeirei al-Hoshla | 28 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 50 | 79 | −29 | 29 | |
| 10 | Bnei al-Salam Rahat | 28 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 54 | 87 | −33 | 29 | |
| 11 | A.S. Ashkelon | 28 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 40 | 59 | −19 | 25 | |
| 12 | Maccabi Ironi Hura | 28 | 7 | 3 | 18 | 50 | 81 | −31 | 24 | |
| 13 | Ironi Kuseife | 28 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 36 | 83 | −47 | 23 | |
| 14 | Maccabi Dimona | 28 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 43 | 104 | −61 | 18 | |
| 15 | Hapoel Tzeirei al-Mahdi | 28 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 32 | 113 | −81 | 9 | |

* 1 2 BaS–HOS 3–1; HOS–BaS 4–1
