# Release of Israeli football culture drama series

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/release-of-israeli-football-culture-drama-series
> Updated: 2026-08-12T11:52:57.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

The Israeli-German-French co-production thriller series ‘Hooligans’ is scheduled to premiere on the ARD Mediathek starting August 14. Written and directed by Lee Gilat, the drama explores the intersection of radicalized football fan culture, politics, and organized crime in Israel.

The narrative follows Meni Azulai, a young man who becomes entangled with a powerful hooligan leader after a violent confrontation at a football match. As he is pressured by police to act as an undercover informant, he faces moral conflicts regarding his sense of community within the group he is tasked with infiltrating.

The series depicts radical supporter groups, such as the ‘Guardians of the Walls’ associated with Maccabi Jerusalem, using right-wing extremism and hate as a business model to secure construction contracts. The production draws inspiration from the real-life atmosphere of groups like Beitar Jerusalem’s ‘La Familia’.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-12: ARD releases drama series on Israeli football hooliganism

The ARD series ‘Hooligans’ explores the violent world of Israeli football ultras, following an undercover agent infiltrating a radical group that uses extremism to fuel a construction business.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ard-releases-drama-series-on-israeli-football-hooliganism

### 2026-08-10: New thriller series Hooligans explores Israeli football culture

The new Israeli-German-French thriller series “Hooligans” explores radical football fan culture and organized crime in Jerusalem, inspired by real-life ultra movements.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-thriller-series-hooligans-explores-israeli-football-culture

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Cite as: Release of Israeli football culture drama series. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/release-of-israeli-football-culture-drama-series