Hapoel Rishon LeZion F.C.

Haberfeld Stadium in Rishon LeZion is the club’s home ground.[4] Its organization also includes a youth department and training facilities; the scale of the youth department was a particular attraction for former Israel international Eyal Berkovic when he acquired the club in 2015.[5]

The club has operated under both private ownership and a public association, with municipal involvement also forming part of its history.[1][6] In October 2026, it remained owned by the public Hapoel Rishon LeZion association, with Eli Senior serving as chairman and Avi Levi as general manager.[6]

Founded in 1940, Hapoel Rishon LeZion played two seasons in Israel’s top division during the 1950s, with goalkeeper Yaakov Hodorov among its players, before relegation at the end of the 1951/52 season.[1] The club returned to the top division in the 1970s, was relegated again in the early 1980s, and returned in the early 1990s.[1] With municipal support, its name was changed to Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion.[1]

Rishon LeZion spent nine consecutive seasons in the top flight before relegation in 2003.[3] Its league participation record includes top-division seasons in 2000/01, 2001/02, and 2002/03.[7] By the period leading up to the 2011/12 season, the club had fallen as far as the third division, but two promotions in three seasons brought it back to the Premier League.[3]

The August 2011 return was the club’s first top-flight campaign since 2003.[7] In its opening match, Rishon beat Bnei Sakhnin 4–2 at Haberfeld Stadium, with Asi Baldut scoring twice and Elvis Mesic and Dudu Avraham adding the other goals.[8]

On December 31, 2011, Rishon defeated Maccabi Haifa 4–2 at Haberfeld Stadium in the Premier League’s 19th round, ending a run of 16 rounds without a victory.[9] Haifa led 2–0 within eight minutes, but Rishon equalized by the 21st minute and took the lead five minutes later.[10] Baldut and David Gomez, who scored twice, supplied the comeback goals before Assaf Cohen scored in stoppage time.[9] It was Rishon’s first home league victory over Haifa since 1980.[10]

In January 2012, the club dismissed coach Nisan Yehezkel following a public disagreement over his criticism of the owners’ efforts to strengthen the squad.[11] At that point, Rishon was below the relegation line, with four league wins and 44 goals conceded in 23 rounds, the league’s weakest defensive record.[11] Eyal Lachman had agreed terms and was expected to succeed Yehezkel.[11] The 2011/12 campaign ended in relegation to the National League, and a 2023 account of the club’s history identified it as the club’s last Premier League season up to that time.[1]

On June 17, 2012, striker Lior Asulin signed for Rishon after leaving Hapoel Ramat Gan.[2] He had returned to Israel’s second tier with Ramat Gan in August 2011 and had been that team’s leading scorer.[2]

Berkovic acquired the club in 2015 for 1.5 million shekels following negotiations with Rishon LeZion mayor Dov Tzur.[5] He sold it to Amos Luzon in 2019.[1] In August 2023, Luzon informed the mayor that he had decided to return the club to the municipality, with the transfer then expected to take place during the following months.[1]

Ahead of the 2026/27 season, Elad Brown was appointed coach following David Marten’s departure, and the club replaced nearly its entire playing squad.[4] Daniel Bohdana and Lithuanian forward Eligijus Jankauskas were retained, while arrivals included Shahar Amsalem, Uri Tzadok, Shai Konstantin, Ronen Peretz, and Ezequiel Henty.[4] Promotion to the Premier League was the club’s stated objective.[4]

The rebuild transformed one of the league’s youngest squads into one of its oldest and was intended to secure a Premier League return after 15 years.[12] Henty arrived after helping Hapoel Ramat Gan earn promotion during the preceding half-season.[12]

Rishon opened the 2026/27 campaign with two wins, the first time it had done so in its National League history.[13] After 12 matches, it stood fifth with six wins, four draws, two defeats, and 22 points.[13]

On October 30, 2026, the team drew 2–2 away to Hapoel Acre.[14] Henty opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and Jankauskas restored Rishon’s lead two minutes into the second half.[14] After Liel Chana was sent off in the 81st minute, Acre equalized in stoppage time; the accompanying league table placed Rishon fifth after 12 matches.[14]

In October 2026, the club announced a five-year sponsorship agreement worth five million shekels with businesspeople Dudi and Natalie Vaturi.[6] The arrangement left ownership with the public association and retained the existing management.[6] A change of name to Hapoel D.N. Rishon LeZion was expected if the required approvals were obtained.[6]

The 2012–13 Toto Cup Leumit, won in December 2012, was Hapoel Rishon LeZion’s first trophy, with Asulin contributing both a goal and a converted penalty in the final.[2] Before the 2011/12 campaign, the club’s record included neither a league championship nor a State Cup title.[3]

In April 2013, Rishon reached the State Cup semifinals after eliminating cup-holder Hapoel Tel Aviv in the quarterfinals.[15] The cup run came while the team was sixth in the National League and had lost hope of promotion to the Premier League that season.[15]

The following season brought another State Cup quarterfinal appearance, with Rishon scheduled to host Hapoel Beersheba in March 2014 after defeating Bnei Sakhnin in the round of 16.[16] That progress contrasted with its league position: Rishon was 14th among 16 National League teams and had recently lost 6–1 to Hapoel Afula.[16]