Tonight at Bloomfield Stadium, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv hosts the Great Tel Aviv Derby as part of the State Cup Round of 16. Ahead of the showdown, we’ve gathered all the statistics, history, and interesting details you need to know before kickoff.
Tonight, Hapoel will put its Premier League top-table battles on hold to focus on the next mission: a State Cup Round of 16 match against our city rivals. This marks the first derby of the current season, after the planned meeting in the 7th league round was cancelled.
The Reds, currently sitting in 5th place, face the 3rd-ranked rival in a battle for a ticket to the next round. Hapoel will benefit from a bolstered squad, as Adrian Kraev, Chico Alves, and Omri Altman return to the roster after serving suspensions and missing last Saturday's match.
Match Info
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Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
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Time: 20:30
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Competition: State Cup, Round of 16
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Venue: Bloomfield Stadium
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Main Referee: Sapir Berman
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Assistant Referees: Louai Wahba, Roi Hassan
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VAR: Daniel Bar Natan, Idan Bernstein
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Fourth Official: Idan Leiba
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Broadcast: Sport 5 HD
History Tells the Story
The Tel Aviv Derby is the most played fixture in the history of Israeli football. This time, the two veteran rivals meet for their 21st duel in the country's second most important competition, the State Cup. Just before the opening whistle, we look back at the biggest past meetings in this tournament.
The Full Record:
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20 Games
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5 Wins for Hapoel
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15 Wins for Maccabi
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Goal Difference: 38:18 to Maccabi
Record when Hapoel is the Host:
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7 Games
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2 Wins for Hapoel
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5 Wins for Maccabi
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Goal Difference: 11:5 to Maccabi
The first State Cup meeting between the two teams took place back in 1933, when they met in the final. In that match, Hapoel was defeated 1-0 from a goal conceded in the 88th minute. However, redemption arrived just a year later. On June 2, 1934, the two met again in the Cup Final, and this time Hapoel emerged victorious with a dramatic 3-2 win. The goals were scored by Amnon Harlap (10'), Ze'ev Willy Berger (penalty, 25'), and Moshe Simon (85'), securing a historic Double for the club.
In the Round of 16—the stage where tonight's match takes place—the teams have met four times in the past. In the first three instances, the city rival won. However, the last time they met at this stage, on March 7, 2000, Hapoel celebrated at Bloomfield with a 2-0 victory. Ilan Bakhar (40') and Omri Afek (52') scored the goals that paved the way for another incredible Double in the club's history.
The last time the two sides met in the State Cup was the memorable 2021 Final. It was the only cup match between the clubs decided in extra time. Hapoel eventually lost 2-1, despite taking an early lead with a wonderful goal by Omri Altman in the 31st minute.