On 20 January 2026 Ofri Arad signed for FCSB as a free agent, for two and a half years, after three years at Kairat Almaty.
On 29 May 2026 he came on in the 105th minute and scored two minutes later. FCSB won 2-1 and reached the Conference League qualifiers.
According to Sport1, by the end of his first season he had made only seven appearances, just two as a starter. The start was hard.
Two titles with Maccabi Haifa (2020/21, 2021/22) and two with Kairat in Kazakhstan (2024, 2025).
Ofri Arad: the short answer
Ofri Arad is a defensive midfielder and an Israel international. On 20 January 2026 he signed for FCSB, the club known in Israel mostly as Steaua Bucharest, on a two-and-a-half-year contract. He arrived as a free agent, after three years at Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan.
His start in Bucharest was not easy: injuries, few minutes and public criticism. But at the end of May 2026 he came off the bench in extra time of the decisive match against Dinamo Bucharest and scored the winning goal that sent the team into the Conference League qualifiers. In October 2026 he is still playing for the club.
In plain words: Arad's story shows that the first months in a new country are the hardest, even for someone who arrives with experience, titles and a signed contract.
The background in Israel: from the kibbutz to Maccabi Haifa
According to Hebrew Wikipedia, Arad was born in 1998 and grew up in Kibbutz HaHotrim. In 2008 he joined the Maccabi Haifa youth academy. At 15 he was already invited for a trial at Leicester City in England, and chose to stay in Haifa. In the 2017/18 season he was loaned to Hapoel Ramat Gan, and when he came back he became a regular starter.
With Maccabi Haifa he won two league titles, in 2020/21 and 2021/22. He made his debut for Israel on 14 October 2020, in a 3-2 win over Slovakia in the Nations League. According to Digi Sport, he had 10 caps for Israel when he arrived in Bucharest.
Kazakhstan: the first move abroad
Romania is not the first country where Arad has built a life outside Israel. In February 2023 he was loaned to Kairat Almaty, and in November that year he signed there permanently. With Kairat he won the Kazakh league in 2024 and 2025, and in the 2025/26 Champions League he scored against Inter at San Siro.
In January 2026 his contract in Kazakhstan ended, and he was free to choose his next club.
Why Bucharest
According to the Israeli sports site Sport1, before signing Arad asked Mihai Stoica, the club's manager, a question that surprised him: "What's the atmosphere like in the dressing room?" (״איך האווירה בחדר ההלבשה?״). Stoica said he had never met a player who asked him that.
Stoica described the new player like this, according to Walla: "He has a great vibe, a very nice guy, always smiling" (״יש לו וייב מצוין, בחור מאוד נחמד, מחויך״). And he added: "Of all the players we analysed, he is the one we think will help us most" (״מכל השחקנים שניתחנו, זה השחקן שלדעתנו יעזור לנו הכי הרבה״).
Arad later explained his choice. He said he had offers from Israel, the Middle East, the United States and Europe. What decided it, he said, was a Zoom call with Stoica, after which he understood how much the club wanted him. "Even if I had better offers financially, I chose Steaua and I'm happy" ("chiar dacă am avut oferte mai bune din punct de vedere financiar, am ales Steaua și sunt mulțumit"), Digi Sport quoted him as saying.
The hard months, and the goal against Dinamo
The first half of 2026 was difficult. According to Sport1, by the end of the season he had made only seven appearances, just two of them as a starter. "I got injured in training, came back, went out again, and it was hard" (״נפצעתי באימון, חזרתי, שוב יצאתי, וזה היה קשה״), he said.
I always believed in myself and knew I would come back. (Ofri Arad, Sport1, 2026)
Then came 29 May 2026. In the decisive match against Dinamo Bucharest for a place in the Conference League qualifiers, Arad came on in the 105th minute, and two minutes later scored his first goal for the club. FCSB won 2-1 after 120 minutes. Even Gigi Becali, the owner who had criticised him for months, said after the match, according to Sport1: "He proved he is a footballer" (״הוכיח שהוא כדורגלן״).
After the match Arad said: "I always believed in myself and knew I would come back" (״תמיד האמנתי בעצמי וידעתי שאחזור״). To Digi Sport he added: "We are the biggest team in the country" ("Suntem cea mai mare echipă din țară"). On the difficult moments he said: "My family helps me a lot to get through the difficult moments" ("Familia mă ajută foarte tare să trec peste momentele dificile").
In July 2026, after reports that he wanted to leave, he told the Israeli channel Sport 5: "I never wanted to leave" (״מעולם לא רציתי לעזוב״).
The second season: still here
In the 2026/27 season Arad is still at FCSB. According to Digi Sport, by the end of September 2026 he had made 14 appearances and scored two goals for the club. He was also on the pitch in the match against FC Voluntari on 19 October 2026.
To be honest: his place is not guaranteed. The owner, Gigi Becali, is known for harsh public criticism of players, and Arad has had his share of it. A footballer's career is short by nature, and a year from now he may well be somewhere else. This profile is correct as of October 2026.
What a family moving to Bucharest can learn from his story
Ask the right question before you sign. Arad did not ask only about the contract. He asked about the atmosphere. A family moving to Bucharest should ask questions like that too: what life is like in the neighbourhood, what the atmosphere is at the school, who the neighbours are. And a direct conversation with people who already live here is worth more than any presentation. We set out the differences between areas in our guide to the best neighbourhoods in Bucharest.
Give it time. The first six months were the hardest, and at the end of them came the big moment. In a family move too, getting used to the language, the paperwork and new friends takes months. We wrote honestly about the good and the less good sides in our article on living in Bucharest.
Family is the anchor. Arad said his family helps him get through the hard moments. For a family moving together, it is a reminder to build a shared routine from day one. And if you are moving from Israel, home is not far: there are direct flights, and we list them in our guide to flights between Israel and Bucharest.
Previous experience abroad helps. Three years in Kazakhstan taught him to live far from home. If you have lived abroad before, even for a short time, you arrive in Romania better prepared.
Frequently asked questions
Where does FCSB play its home games?
According to Digi Sport, the home match against Oțelul Galați on 10 October 2026 was played at the Arena Națională in Bucharest. Check the current fixtures on the club's or the league's website.
How long is Ofri Arad's contract?
According to Digi Sport, Arad signed in January 2026 for two and a half years, that is, until summer 2028. Football contracts change, so this is correct as of October 2026.
What has been his big moment in Bucharest so far?
The 107th-minute goal against Dinamo Bucharest on 29 May 2026. He came on in extra time, scored his first goal for the club, and took FCSB into the Conference League qualifiers.
The bottom line
Ofri Arad came to Bucharest with titles, experience abroad and a signed contract, and the first months were still hard. What kept him going, in his own words, was belief in himself and a family standing behind him. That holds for a family moving here too, without a pitch or a crowd.
If you are considering a move to Bucharest and want to go through the right questions together, from the neighbourhood to the school, book a 30-minute call with me. The wider picture is in our complete guide to relocating to Romania, and schools are covered in our chapter on international education in Romania.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: Hebrew Wikipedia, Ofri Arad (Hebrew) · Wikipedia, Ofri Arad · Digi Sport, FCSB announces the signing, 20.1.2026 (Romanian) · Walla Sport, Arad signs for Steaua, 20.1.2026 (Hebrew) · Sport1, Arad's question, 18.1.2026 (Hebrew) · Sport1, the goal against Dinamo, 30.5.2026 (Hebrew) · Digi Sport, after the Dinamo match, 30.5.2026 (Romanian) · Digi Sport, Arad on his future, 30.5.2026 (Romanian) · Sport 5, "I was shocked by the reports", 13.7.2026 (Hebrew) · Digi Sport, his standing at the club, 30.9.2026 (Romanian) · Ziare.com, after the Voluntari match, 20.10.2026 (Romanian) · Digi Sport, FCSB v Oțelul at the Arena Națională, 10.2026 (Romanian) · Flashscore, Ofri Arad
Based on public reports and published interviews, correct as of 22 October 2026. Ofri Arad was not interviewed for this article.
The complete guide: relocating to Romania
- Relocating to Romania: the complete guide
- Visas, residence and legal status in Romania
- The Jewish community in Romania
- International education in Romania
- Prominent Israelis in Romania
Prominent Israelis in Romania: all the stories
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
