While Hapoel Tel Aviv continues its professional preparations for the start of the 2026/27 season, behind the scenes the Reds are undergoing a real revolution, and not just on paper, it appears.
Recently, Hapoel changed its face in terms of management. CEO Tzahi Reichenstein ended his tenure after nearly three years as the close associate of owner Ofer Yannay, and his place was taken by Oren Hasson, who moved from the role of chairman.
Stav Shaham stepped into the chairman role, attempting in his early days to demonstrate dominance and make changes. Subsequently, the Reds also announced a change in the management structure: Ofer Yannay's share was diluted to 40 percent, while the remaining owners, Gili Raanan, Micky Malka, and Alan Howard, hold 20 percent each.
This change already sparked a mini-storm. Officials at Hapoel were surprised by reports of an appeal to Maccabi Tel Aviv to play in the Supercup without a limit on foreign players, and subsequently officially denied the report.
At the club, officials tried to explain that although they were unaware of the approach, if it was made by anyone from the club to a senior figure at Maccabi Tel Aviv, it was not done with the approval of the management and the club, and therefore was not binding from their perspective. "In the current structure, no one has permission to approach anyone on their own authority regarding such sensitive issues, and these matters must go through management," a senior official at Hapoel said. "We have entered a new era, and everyone needs to get used to it."