1954–55 in Israeli football

Although league matches for the previous season ended on 13 March 1954,[1] the confirmation of the league's final standings was delayed, as a match between Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Petah Tikva, which was played on 26 December 1953 and ended with a 3–2 win for Haifa, was claimed to be fixed, to allow Maccabi Haifa to win.[2] Eventually, on 10 January 1955, the IFA decided to replay the match in a neutral venue,[3] Maccabi Haifa won the rematch 4–1 and secured their spot in the top division.[4] However, with the IFA already deadlocked with an ongoing dispute between Hapoel and Maccabi, Beitar declared its resignation from the IFA in protest of the IFA decision to replay the Maccabi Haifa-Maccabi Petah Tikva match.[5][6] Discussions were held with the help of Judge Yosef-Michael Lamm, and an agreement between the factions was reached on 28 January 1955, confirming the results of the season and reprieving Beitar Tel Aviv and Hapoel Balfouria from relegation.[7][8]

During the first half of the season, as no league matches were played, Hapoel Tel Aviv organized a league competition for the top Tel Aviv teams, Hapoel, Maccabi, Beitar and Maccabi Jaffa. The competition was played as a double round-robin tournament, with the top placed team winning the cup, named after former Hapoel Tel Aviv treasurer, Yosef Shapira.

League matches were delayed until 6 February 1955, and by the time the IFA had gone to summer break, 20 rounds of matches were completed, delaying the end of the league season to the next season.[9]

No official matches were played by the national team during the season.[10]

In August 1954, Maccabi Tel Aviv departed for a tour of Italy, intending to play Lazio, Torino, Roma and Napoli. However, the matches against Torino and Roma were cancelled,[11] and the team returned home after playing just two matches in Italy and one more match, en route home, against RC Paris, which was Ernst Happel's first match for RC Paris.[12]

Lazio v Maccabi Tel Aviv

29 August 1954	Lazio	0–0	Maccabi Tel Aviv	Rome
		[13]		Stadium: Stadio della Rondinella Referee: Giacomo Bertolio

Napoli v Maccabi Tel Aviv

12 September 1954	Napoli	7–1	Maccabi Tel Aviv	Napoli
	Coccarelli 1' Jeppson 4', 10' Posio 26' Vitali 35', 52' Pesaola 43'	[14][15]	Merimovich 82'	Stadium: Stadio Arturo Collana

RC Paris v Maccabi Tel Aviv

16 September 1954	RC Paris	1–1	Maccabi Tel Aviv	Paris
	Sénac 88'	[16]	Goldstein 64'	Stadium: Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir

On 24 September 1954 a team of players from both Hapoel Petah Tikva and Maccabi Petah Tikva departed for a tour of Cyprus, without the consent of the IFA. The Hapoel organization sent a telegram forbidding the participation of Hapoel players in any match, and the team played as Maccabi Petah Tikva.[17] After returning to Israel, Maccabi Petah Tikva was banned for 6 months for its part of the tour, while Hapoel Petah Tikva received a fine of IL50.[18]

A Maccabi XI, composed of the best players affiliated with Maccabi clubs, took a tour of England between 21 October and 7 November 1954. Maccabi lost all four matches during the tour and was criticized heavily for arranging the tour and the pick of its opponents.[20]

Arsenal v Maccabi XI

26 October 1954	Arsenal	4–1	Maccabi XI	London
	Holton 20' (pen.), 28' Milton 69' Tapscott 70'	[21]	Israeli 76'	Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 10,000

Wolves v Maccabi XI

29 October 1954	Wolves	10–0	Maccabi XI	Wolverhampton
	Flowers 11' Swinbourne 16', 60', 86' Broadbent 19' Hancocks 42', 62' Wilshaw 50' McDonald 63'	[22]		Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 30,000

Hull City v Maccabi XI

1 November 1954	Hull City	4–0	Maccabi XI	Hull
	Ackerman 15' Reznik 22' (o.g.) Horton 56' Downie 89'	[23]		Stadium: Boothferry Park Attendance: 10,500

The visiting Turks met several composite teams, in Petah Tikva, a team from the local Hapoel and Maccabi teams, in Tel Aviv a team of the best Hapoel affiliated players and in Haifa a team from the Hapoel teams of Haifa, Kiryat Haim and Tirat HaCarmel.

Udarnik was invited to a return visit to Hapoel tour of Bulgaria during the previous season. The team arrived 8 October 1954 and played three matches in Israel. At the end of the tour, as the Bulgarians encountered problems with obtaining visas for a layover in Istanbul, a fourth match was arranged with mixed teams of Udarnik, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Jaffa.