The Israel Football Association has published its referee appointments for the opening round of the 2026/27 Ligat Ha'al season, ONE reports, with Gal Levi and Omer Biran handed the two fixtures involving the league's Tel Aviv and Haifa giants.
Levi will take charge of Hapoel Jerusalem's home game against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Sunday, the second day of the new campaign, when Maccabi travel to the capital to open their league season away from home.
Biran, meanwhile, has been given Maccabi Haifa's opening match against Hapoel Ramat Gan on Saturday, the day the 2026/27 season actually kicks off. It is a notable return to the big occasions for the young official: according to Walla and Israel Hayom, Biran stepped away from refereeing for several weeks last year after his younger brother, Golani sergeant Rei Biran, was killed in Khan Younis in July 2025, before coming back to the whistle in time for this pre-season.
Elsewhere in round one, ONE reports David Focksman will referee Maccabi Petah Tikva's clash with Ironi Kiryat Shmona, Snir Levi has been given Ironi Tiberias against Hapoel Petah Tikva at Bra'el Stadium, and Na'al Odeh will oversee Maccabi Netanya's home game with Bnei Sakhnin at Miriam Stadium.
Not every top-flight club is in action this weekend. Two fixtures were officially postponed because of European commitments, ONE and Sport1 both report: Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Hapoel Tel Aviv were both given a bye from round one, along with their scheduled opponents, Hapoel Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem respectively, to allow the two clubs to focus on continental qualifying ties.
The rearranged fixtures will be slotted in later in the calendar once the European picture for Be'er Sheva and Hapoel Tel Aviv becomes clearer.
For now, attention turns to Saturday's kick-off, when Maccabi Haifa host Hapoel Ramat Gan under Biran's whistle before Levi takes charge of Maccabi Tel Aviv's trip to Teddy Stadium a day later.
