 As a result of the overspending while in the top division, the club suffered financial difficulties, and was demoted to the fourth division by the IFA in 2004, where they played for a decade until 2014, when they were promoted to Liga Leumit.The club was established as Maccabi Kiryat Gat in 1961 by Yehuda Ivanir who also served as chairman.In 1969, he bought the Kfar Gavirol F.C., and Maccabi took its place in the Liga Bet.