Maccabi Tel Aviv FC wishes to thank Stav Lemkin for his services to the Club during this unforgettable season in Yellow and Blue.

Lemkin joined the Club in September 2024, made 29 appearances for Maccabi in all competitions, and won the League Championship and Toto Cup.

Thank you, Stav, for all you have done at Maccabi and good luck in your future endeavors.

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC reached an agreement with Moreirense F.C. on the transfer of Kiko Bondoso.

The 29-year-old forward who joined Maccabi in the summer of 2023, played last season at Rio Ave in Portugal for which he scored 3 goals and added 3 assists in 32 appearances.

Good luck Kiko!

Maccabi Tel Aviv is delighted to announce the signing of Denny Gropper on a 3-year deal.

The 26-year-old Israeli international full-back becomes Maccabi’s sixth addition ahead of the 2025/26 season, joining from Bulgarian side Ludogorets, on a 3-year-deal with an option to extend.

Gropper, who featured for Israel’s national side in 9 matches and has 8 more appearances for the U21’s, successfully completed his medical at the club and signed his contract.

After signing his contract, Gropper, told the Club’s official website: “I am really excited to be back in Israel and to join the leading club in the country. I’m looking forward to meeting my new teammates, beginning the hard work ahead of the new season, and seeing the fans at Bloomfield.”

He made his first footballing footsteps at the Youth academies of Maccabi and Hapoel Haifa as well as Ironi Nesher. In 2018 at the age of 19 Gropper made his senior debut at second division side Hapoel Afula for which he scored 5 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions. The following season Gropper moved to Hapoel Tel Aviv where in 2.5 seasons scored 4 goals in 69 appearances.

In February 2022, Gropper, joined Ludogorets and in 3.5 seasons in Bulgaria made 63 appearances, helped his side win 8 domestic trophies (3 Championships, 2 Cups and 3 Super Cups) as well as featuring in the Europa and Conference League.

The Israel Professional Football Leagues published the fixtures to the 2025/26 league campaign at a ceremony which was held at the Netanya stadium on Thursday. Maccabi, that will begin their defense of the league title at the Moshava stadium away to newly promoted side Hapoel Petah Tikva. The first visitors to Bloomfield will be Maccabi Netanya on MD2 while Maccabi Haifa will be hosted at the Jaffa stadium on MD6. The Tel Aviv derby returns on MD7 after a year’s absence following the return of newly promoted side Hapoel Tel Aviv. Beitar Jerusalem arrive at Bloomfield on MD10 and the first round is concluded with a trip to Turner stadium as Maccabi face State Cup holders and last season’s runners up Hapoel Be’ersheva on MD13.

2025/26 League fixtures: (confirmed dates and kickoff times to be published at a later stage)

23.8 MD1 Hapoel Petah Tikva (a)

30.8 MD2 Maccabi Netanya (h)

13.9 MD3 Ironi Tiberias (a)

20.9 MD4 Hapoel Jerusalem (h)

27.9 MD5 Bnei Sakhnin (a)

4.10 MD6 Maccabi Haifa (h)

18.10 MD7 Hapoel Tel Aviv (a)

25.10 MD8 Kiryat Shmona (h) 

1.11 MD9 Bnei Reineh (a)

8.11 MD10 Beitar Jerusalem (h)

29.11 MD11 Ashdod (a)

2.12 MD12 Hapoel Haifa (h)

6.12 MD13 Hapoel Be’ersheva (a)

13.2 MD14 Hapoel Petah Tikva (h)

20.12 MD15 Maccabi Netanya (a)

30.12 MD16 Ironi Tiberias (h)

3.1 MD17 Hapoel Jerusalem (a)

10.1 MD18 Bnei Sakhnin (h)  

17.1 MD19 Maccabi Haifa (a)

24.1 MD20 Hapoel Tel Aviv (h)

31.1 MD21 Kiryat Shmona (a)

7.2 MD22 Bnei Reineh (h)

14.2 MD23 Beitar Jerusalem (a)

21.2 MD24 Ashdod (h)

28.2 MD25 Hapoel Haifa (a)

7.3 MD26 Hapoel Be’ersheva (h)

Playoff:

14.3 MD27

21.3 MD28

4.4 MD29

11.4 MD30

18.4 MD31

25.4 MD32

2.5 MD33

9.5 MD34

16.5 MD35

19.5 or 23.5 MD36

Back to work. After a break of around a month, Maccabi returned today (Wednesday) to the Kiryat Shalom training complex and held the opening training session for the 2025/26 season.

The Israeli champions kicked off preparations with the local players who are currently in Israel. Among the first to take the field were new signings Itamar Noy, Yoav Gerafi, and Noam Ben Harush. Meanwhile, the foreign players and coaching staff who are abroad gathered in Serbia and began training there as well.

Prior to that, the players completed over the past few days their medical tests at the Shamir Medical Center.

Maccabi will step up preparations with a training camp which will be held in Hungary between June 30th and July 9th. Maccabi play their first match of the 2025/26 season as they host State Cup holders Hapoel Be’ersheva for the Israeli Super Cup on July 13th.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is delighted to announce the signing of Ion Nicolaescu on a 3-year deal.

The 26-year-old Moldovan international striker becomes Maccabi’s fifth addition ahead of the 2025/26 season, joining from Dutch side SC Heerenveen, on a 3-year-deal with an option to extend.

Nicolaescu, (184cm) who scored 17 goals in 49 matches during 2 seasons at Heerenveen, successfully completed his medical and joined the players and staff in Serbia.

Nicolaescu told the Club’s official website: “I am truly honored to join the Israeli champions and such a prestigious club with an incredible fan base – something I have experienced firsthand in Israel. I can’t wait to wear the Maccabi shirt, begin working hard, and give my utmost. I look forward to seeing you all at Bloomfield Stadium. Yalla Maccabi !”  

Nicolaescu who has 17 goals in 53 international appearances for the Moldova national side, began his playing career at the Youth Academy of Zimbru Chisinau. He made his senior debut at the age of 18 before being transferred in 2018 to Shaktyor Soligorsk of Belarus. Nine goals in 18 appearances during a loan spell at FK Vitebsk led to a move to Slovakian side DAC Dunasjska Streda in 2020. During a loan spell at Maccabi Petah Tikva, Nicolaescu scored 5 goals in 18 appearances in all competitions. A move to Beitar Jerusalem for the 2022/23 season resulted with 19 in 33 appearances in all competitions that saw him help Beitar win the State Cup.

Preparations for the 2025/26 season are underway as Maccabi recently conducted its traditional medical tests, which were held at the Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh Hospital). Yesterday, the players underwent a series of tests at various stations.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), the players who are currently in Israel will get together at Kiryat Shalom and hold the first session. At the same time, the foreign players and the coaching staff will begin training in Serbia. The plan is for the locally based squad to depart on the 30th for the training camp in Hungary where they will be reunited with the rest of squad and staff.

Orel Baye joins Hapoel Jerusalem after an agreement was reached between the two clubs for a season-long loan deal.

The 21-year-old winger who scored 11 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions during a loan spell with Ramat Hasharon last season, will join Hapoel Jerusalem on loan for the 2025/26 campaign.

Baye was part of the Israel U19 side that in the summer of 2022 won the silver medal in the U19 European Championship finals. Baye has 2 goals to his name represented Israel’s young national sides on 10 international matches.

Good luck Orel.

Ofir Davidzada will be leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv after eight successful seasons in Yellow and Blue during which he won 13 trophies.

The 34-year-old defender, who joined Maccabi in the summer of 2017 and scored 7 goals in 231 appearances in all competitions, is ranked eighth among the players who represented the club in Europe, with 51 international appearances.

During eight seasons in the Yellow and Blue, Davidzada won 13 titles: 4 league Championships (18/19, 19/20, 23/24, and 24/25), the State Cup (20/21), 5 Toto Cups (17/18, 18/19, 20/21, 23/24, and 24/25), and 3 Super Cups (19/20, 20/21, and 24/25).

Davidzada qualified to the Europa League group stage three times (17/18, 20/21, and 24/25), the Conference League group stage twice (21/22 and 2023/24), the Round of 32 twice, and the Round of 16 once.

 Thank you, Ofir, and best of luck.

After winning the championship for the second season in succession, Maccabi will begin its 2025/26 European campaign in the Champions League 2nd qualifying round.

The draw which took place at UEFA’s Headquarters in Nyon Switzerland paired Maccabi with the Champions of Cyprus who are expected to host the first leg. The final date and venue of the matches will be announced at a later time.

Maccabi will host its 2025/26 European qualifiers at Backa Topola’s TSC Arena in Serbia. The 4531- capacity stadium hosted Maccabi during the 2023/24 Conference League campaign.

As in last season: Updated Champions League format

In order to reach the Champions League phase, Maccabi will need to progress through three qualifying rounds (the 2^nd round, 3^rd round, and Playoff). In the event a team is eliminated at any stage of their Champions League qualifiers, it will drop into the Europa League qualifying rounds. Due to UEFA’s format changes, the Champions League will be held this season in a new structure featuring 36 clubs. In the first league phase, each club will play eight matches. The top eight clubs at the end of this phase will advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing in 9-24 will compete in a playoff for a place among the final 16.