Editing Netanya (section)

==Sports==
[[File:PikiWiki Israel 33577 Golden Ball sculpture in Netanya Stadium.JPG|thumb|[[Netanya Stadium]] and the Golden Ball sculpture]]

The main stadiums in Netanya are the 13,610-seat [[Netanya Stadium]]. Netanya has three [[Association football|football]] teams, the main being [[Maccabi Netanya F.C.|Maccabi Netanya]], whose main local rival is [[Beitar Nes Tubruk F.C.|Beitar Nes Tubruk]]. The third is [[Maccabi HaSharon Netanya F.C.|Maccabi HaSharon Netanya]], though the team has been limited to fourth-tier football in the [[Liga Bet]]. [[Elitzur Netanya B.C.|Elitzur Netanya]] represents the city in the first tier of Israeli basketball. In handball, the city is represented by [[Hapoel Netanya (handball)|Hapoel Netanya]] in the 2nd tier of the Israeli handball. In baseball, the city was represented by the [[Netanya Tigers]] of the [[Israel Baseball League]]. As part of the "Netanya – city of sport" program the [[beach soccer]] stadium was established and it currently hosts Israeli championship and international "Diamond tournament" games.

Aside from the professional sports teams, Maccabi Netanya also has a boxing and fencing club while Hapoel Netanya has judo and gymnastic clubs, and [[Maccabi Elitzur Netanya B.C.|Elitzur Netanya]] has a lacrosse club.

The founder of [[Krav Maga]], [[Imi Lichtenfeld]] opened a sports academy in Netanya for the continuation of his way and his martial art.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wingatekravmaga.com/imi-lichtenfeld/ |title=Imi Lichtenfeld |access-date=October 28, 2014 |archive-date=October 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028132445/http://www.wingatekravmaga.com/imi-lichtenfeld/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Netanya is also the home of paragliding in Israel. The moderate cliffs plus a stiff offshore breeze provide an ideal environment for safe and fun comfortable paragliding. Gliders are often seen cruising high above the beach, just along the cliff line.

Netanya was scheduled to host the [[2015 European Short Course Swimming Championships]] in December. The venue of the event was to be the brand-new swimming complex of the [[Wingate Institute]]. The new complex at the Wingate Institute features an Olympic-size pool with 10 lanes and 3m depth, backed by the latest built-in filtration systems, an 8-lane 50m pool and a 6-lane 25m pool.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.len.eu/Press/LEN%20PR10-14%20EC%20Short%20Course%202015.aspx |title=LEN – LEN PR10-14 EC Short Course 2015 |access-date=2015-03-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402103240/http://www.len.eu/Press/LEN%20PR10-14%20EC%20Short%20Course%202015.aspx |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.swimmersdaily.com/2014/08/04/len-moves-2015-short-course-europeans-to-december/ |title=LEN moves 2015 Short Course Europeans to December |date=August 4, 2014 |access-date=March 18, 2015 |archive-date=July 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704154708/http://www.swimmersdaily.com/2014/08/04/len-moves-2015-short-course-europeans-to-december/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Netanya hosted the [[2018 World Lacrosse Championship|World Lacrosse Championship]] tournament on July 12–21, 2018, thus making Israel the first country to host such where English is not the primary spoken language. Forty-six nations from around the world sent teams.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://filacrosse.com/israel-to-host-2018-fil-mens-lacrosse-world-championship/ |title=Israel to Host 2018 FIL Men's Lacrosse World Championship |publisher=Federation of International Lacrosse |date=23 May 2017 |access-date=June 1, 2018 |archive-date=July 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721162146/https://filacrosse.com/israel-to-host-2018-fil-mens-lacrosse-world-championship/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

The city hosted the 2021 [[FINA Junior Water Polo World Championships]].<ref>[https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1113997/2021-fina-world-womens-junior-water-polo "Russia after fourth title at FINA World Women's Junior Water Polo Championship"]. Owen Lloyd ([[Inside the Games]]), 9 October 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107092951/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1113997/2021-fina-world-womens-junior-water-polo |date=November 7, 2021}}.</ref>