EuroLeague Officials to Visit Israel Amid Efforts to Return Games
Efforts are underway to bring EuroLeague and EuroCup games back to Israel, with Maccabi Tel Aviv's chairman Shimon Mizrahi and professional manager Claudio Coldebella meeting with EuroLeague CEO Jordi Bertomeu and competition manager Diego Garcia. The meeting aimed to secure the return of games for the three Israeli teams participating in the leagues: Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv in the EuroLeague, and Hapoel Jerusalem in the EuroCup.
Maccabi Tel Aviv officially stated that no changes occurred following the meeting. However, the EuroLeague CEO and competition manager are scheduled to visit Israel within the next two weeks as guests of Maccabi Tel Aviv for an observation tour.
Israeli teams have been playing their home games outside the country for over two years, until December 2025. In March, a decision was made to continue holding games abroad due to Operation "Roaring Lion" and the war with Iran. Currently, Maccabi Tel Aviv is hosting its home games in Belgrade, while Hapoel Tel Aviv is playing in Sofia until further notice.