Maccabi Haifa F.C.: Ya'akov Shahar's 30-Year Football Business
Israel's second-most-decorated football club — and the one that broke a twenty-year Champions League drought. Ya'akov Shahar's Colmobil-anchored ownership since 1994, Sammy Ofer Stadium since 2014, and the 2-0 home win over Juventus in 2022.
Maccabi Haifa is the second-most-decorated club in Israeli football — and the one that broke Israel's twenty-year Champions League drought. Since 1994 it has been controlled by Ya'akov Shahar, principal owner of Colmobil — Israel's Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Genesis importer, and one of the country's largest privately held industrial businesses.
Ownership
- Owner: Ya'akov Shahar since 1994. One of the longest single-owner tenures in Israeli sports.
- Wealth base: Colmobil Group. Automotive imports and distribution across multiple marques. Family-controlled. Net worth reported in the ~$1B range.
- Governance: Shahar's involvement is hands-on. He sets budget and signs off on transfers.
Sporting record
- 15 Israeli league championships. The 2021–22 title returned the club to European elite competition after two decades.
- 2022–23 Champions League group stage: drawn with Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, and Juventus. The 2-0 home victory over Juventus at Sammy Ofer Stadium was one of the largest results in Israeli football history.
- State Cup and Toto Cup wins across the Shahar era.
Sammy Ofer Stadium
- Capacity: 30,780. UEFA Category 4 (the top tier of European stadium classification).
- Opened: 2014. Financed via the estate of Sammy Ofer — the Israeli shipping magnate — and municipal contribution.
- Business impact: the stadium made Maccabi Haifa a viable Champions League host and reset the club's matchday economics.
Post–October 7 European posture
Like Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa's UEFA fixtures have moved outside Israel under current security conditions. The club has hosted European matches in neutral countries across the 2024–25 and 2025–26 campaigns. Colmobil sponsorship and Israeli corporate partners have absorbed most of the incremental cost.
The takeaway
Maccabi Haifa is what happens when a serious operator owns a football club for thirty years and treats it like a business. Shahar built the sporting model; Sammy Ofer Stadium delivered the economic base. The Champions League run against PSG, Benfica, and Juventus was the return on both.
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