Ilay Feingold has picked up some welcome news away from the pitch. Sport5 reports that the Israeli defender has been granted a United States green card, a change in status that reclassifies him as a domestic player under MLS roster rules and frees up an international slot for New England Revolution.
Under MLS regulations, clubs are capped on the number of players who occupy international roster spots, with permanent residents counted as domestic players alongside US and Canadian citizens. By securing his green card, Feingold no longer ties up one of the Revolution's limited slots, giving the club extra flexibility to pursue another overseas signing without needing to trade for additional international spots, as clubs regularly do around the league.
The 21-year-old right-back joined New England from Maccabi Haifa in January 2025 on a three-year deal through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, signed through the league's U22 Initiative. The move was reported at the time to be worth around $2.5 million to the Israeli club, with Maccabi Haifa also retaining a sell-on percentage.
Feingold made 37 appearances for Maccabi Haifa's first team before crossing the Atlantic, and he has become a regular fixture in New England's backline since, capable of playing at both right-back and centre-back. He has started the majority of the Revolution's matches so far this season.
He arrives with an established pedigree at youth level for Israel, including a bronze medal at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and a runner-up finish at the 2022 European U-19 Championship. He was also part of Israel's squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics and has since earned his first senior caps for the national team.
Feingold is not the only Israeli in New England's dressing room. Forward Dor Turgeman, signed from Maccabi Tel Aviv in a big-money move last September, has also become a key contributor and a regular call-up for Israel's senior side, giving the Revolution a growing Israeli contingent on both sides of the pitch.
For a club still building out its roster in a league where international slots are treated as a tradable commodity, the paperwork change is a quietly significant boost — one less roster headache as New England looks to add further reinforcements before the MLS season reaches its business end.
