Maccabi Haifa Owner Yaakov Shahar Considers Selling Club After 34 Years
Maccabi Haifa owner Yaakov Shahar is in talks with British-Jewish investors to sell the club after 34 years, driven by fan protests and his age.
Preliminary discussions are currently underway regarding the potential sale of Maccabi Haifa, as owner Yaakov Shahar is considering ending his tenure at the club as early as the current season.
Negotiations with British Investors
Shahar is holding negotiations with a group of British-Jewish businessmen who are connected to the owners of the English football club Coventry City. His goal is to complete the deal and transfer ownership of the club, thereby concluding a 34-year period in which he has stood at the helm of Maccabi Haifa.
One of the reasons that may accelerate the move is the burnout Shahar has experienced following protests from the club's supporters. A wave of protests that returned last season, against the backdrop of disappointment with professional results, led to frustration on the part of the owner. Sources close to Shahar recount that although Maccabi Haifa is his life's work and he is deeply attached to it, he is "tired of the crowd's wars against him." Shahar's age, 85, is also a significant factor in his decision to evaluate his future at the club and expedite the possibility of leaving.
Full Ownership Transfer
At the same time, Shahar has clarified that he does not intend to transfer the club's management rights to his son, Or Shahar. By doing so, he signals a shift from his past position, when he considered selling 50% of the rights in the club and remaining the dominant decision-maker.
"Shahar is tired of the crowd's wars against him, and at 85, he is looking to complete a full ownership transfer rather than a gradual sale." — Sources close to the owner
Now, the approach is entirely different. According to the framework being examined, Shahar does not seek to retain control percentages and does not condition the deal on a gradual sale. The goal is a full ownership transfer and the absolute end of his journey at the club.
If the move is indeed completed, it may mark the conclusion of one of the longest and most significant chapters in Israeli football. Shahar has owned Maccabi Haifa for 34 years, a period during which the club became one of the central entities in Israeli football.
