The national team was due to play in the 1958 World Cup qualification against Indonesia and then against Sudan. As the two teams refused to meet Israel, and as FIFA imposed a rule that no team would qualify without playing at least one match, the national team was drawn to play against Wales national football team. Israel lost the two matches 0–2.
In May 1958 the IFA stopped matches in the leagues below Liga Leumit due to suspicions of bribery.[1] Following an inquiry, the matches didn't resume and promotions and relegations were suspended.
Due to the inquiry set by the IFA regarding claims of fixed matches in Liga Alef and the lower leagues, promotions and relegations were suspended, and the leagues resumed the next season with the same composition.
Domestic cups
The 1957–58 Israel State Cup started on 12 October 1957, reached the quarter-finals phase by July 1958, and was delayed over an appeal made by Hapoel Petah Tikva over the team's loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv and was completed in September 1958.
The national team was placed in the African/Asian zone and was drawn to play against Turkey in the first round. However, Turkey withdrew in protest of being placed in the African/Asian zone (instead of the European Zone), and Israel advanced to the second round without playing a match, along with Indonesia, Egypt and Sudan.
Israel was drawn to play Indonesia, but, as Indonesia refused to play in Israel and as FIFA rejected their request to play against Israel on neutral ground, Indonesia withdrew and Israel advanced to the regional finals, again without playing a match, alongside Sudan.
In the final round, Sudan refused to play Israel for political reasons and withdrew. The withdrawal meant that Israel had won the qualification spot for the African/Asian zone, but as the team didn't play a match throughout the campaign, and as FIFA ruled that no team would qualify without playing at least one match (except for the defending champions and the hosts), an opponent for Israel was drawn from the runners-up in the other zones. Wales, runners-up in UEFA Group 4 won the draw.
