Hapoel Ashdod F.C.

Before the 1999 merger, Hapoel Ashdod and Ironi Ashdod were two established clubs that divided much of the city’s football support.[1] The later revival of both clubs was a supporters’ initiative, bringing their rivalry back into local football.[1] At least 4,000 spectators were expected at their December 2017 derby, when the revived teams were competing for first place in the South B division of Liga Bet.[1]

Hapoel Ashdod’s separate existence ended in 1999 when it merged with Ironi Ashdod to create M.S. Ashdod.[1] The merged club became a fixture in the Premier League, playing there in every season except 2015/16 through the period covered by a 2017 account; that record belongs to M.S. Ashdod rather than to the original Hapoel club.[4]

Supporters began organizing to revive the historic Hapoel and Ironi clubs in March 2015, and the revived clubs received approval to form under different names.[1] M.S. Ashdod’s relegation to the National League that season added to supporters’ interest in restoring the older clubs.[1] The Hapoel revival was led by a group that included chairman Noam Perkash and Nadav Hassan, and the team climbed two divisions within three years.[2]

The newly formed clubs began in Liga Gimel, where their first season exceeded expectations.[1] Ironi won all three derbies that season and advanced to Liga Bet; its Hapoel rival joined it the following season.[1] By December 2017, A.S. Adumim Ashdod and Ironi Ashdod were competing for the South B division’s first-place finish and promotion to Liga Alef.[1]

In March 2018, A.S. Ashdod secured promotion to Liga Alef with an 8–0 victory over Ironi Beit Shemesh.[5] Striker Ariel Tarbalsi was a leading contributor to the promotion, while Rahamim Chkoul, Yair Azoulay, Yossi Shekel, and David Revivo were among the team’s recognizable players.[5]

The revived team reached the National League in 2021 after defeating Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa 2–1 in a late-season match.[3] Ohad Edlestein scored the winner six minutes into stoppage time, securing promotion with one round remaining.[3] Afterward, Edlestein called the promotion “very sweet” and said, “I’m happy for this city.”[3]

The supporter-backed revival attracted followers of the historic Hapoel club, with Hapoel Adumim drawing that constituency more strongly than the separate Hapoel Bnei Ashdod club.[6] The renewed derby also became a major sporting occasion in Ashdod, with thousands expected to attend the December 2017 meeting despite both teams playing in Liga Bet.[1] One supporter summarized the appeal by saying, “The supporters do it with all their heart. You see the care in every little thing—this is the future of football.”[1]

The historic club and the 2015 revival are distinct organizational entities: the former ended in the 1999 merger, while the latter is known as Hapoel Adumim Ashdod and registered with the Israel Football Association as A.S. Ashdod.[1][2] A separate club, Hapoel Bnei Ashdod, held the rights to the Hapoel name in Ashdod in 2018, distinguishing the formal naming rights from the supporter-backed revival.[6]