The 2008–09 Liga Artzit season started on 5 September 2008 and ended on 29 May 2009.
Contents
- League table
- Positions by round
- Results
- First and second round
- Third round
- Promotion playoff
- Scoring
- Discipline
- References
Two teams from Liga Alef were promoted at the end of the previous season: Hapoel Umm al-Fahm and Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam along with two teams relegated from Liga Leumit: Hapoel Nazareth Illit and Hapoel Rishon LeZion.
The two teams relegated to Liga Alef were Hapoel Kfar Shalem and Maccabi HaShikma/Ramat Hen.
It was scheduled to be the last season before the league closing, as the top two divisions are both expanded to 16 clubs. As a result of the restructuring, the top seven clubs were promoted to Liga Leumit, whilst the eight-placed club played in a play-off against the 11th-placed club in Liga Leumit for a place in that division. The losers of that match and the bottom four clubs in Liga Artzit were relegated to Liga Alef, which has regain its status as the third tier of Israeli football.
League table
Source: The Israel Football Association
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd matches won; 4th goals scored; 5th head-to-head; 6th decision match
1Hapoel Umm al-Fahm were deducted 1 point due to contravention in the budgets control.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
Positions by round
Source: The Israel Football Association
Results
The schedule consisted of three rounds. During first two rounds, each team played each other once home and away for a total of 22 matches. The pairings of the third round were then set according to the standings after first two rounds, giving every team a third game against each opponent for a total of 33 games per team.
First and second round
Source: The Israel Football Association
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Third round
Key numbers for pairing determination (number marks position after 22 games):
Source: The Israel Football Association
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
2Hapoel Umm al-Fahm received a technical loss of 2-0 to Beitar/Shimshon Tel Aviv because only six of their players showed up for the game.
3Hapoel Umm al-Fahm showed up for the game with eight players, the game was played until the referee stopped the game in the 30th minute after Hapoel Rishon LeZion was leading 5–0.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Promotion playoff
Maccabi Kafr Kanna as the 8th-placed team faced the 11th-placed Liga Leumit team Ironi Ramat HaSharon for a two-legged playoff, Maccabi Kafr Kanna lost both games and were relegated to Liga Alef.