The Israeli Premier League is an Israeli league for professional football clubs. It is the country's leading football competition and forms the highest level of the Israeli football league system. The competition began in the 1999–2000 season, following the decision of the Israeli Football Association to form a new league. As of 2011, twelve Premier League seasons have been completed, although only four clubs have been crowned champions. Maccabi Haifa have won the league seven times, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem two times each, and Maccabi Tel Aviv once. The reigning champions are Maccabi Haifa, who won their seventh Premier League title (twelve top division title) in the 2009–10 season.