Maccabi Tel Aviv Eyes Cyprus as New EuroLeague Home Amid Security Concerns
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Maccabi Tel Aviv is considering relocating its EuroLeague home games to Cyprus, specifically the Spyros Kyprianou Arena in Limassol, due to security concerns in Israel. The arena has been approved to host up to 4,500 fans per game, with Hapoel Jerusalem potentially joining them. While this is a backup plan, Maccabi's main goal is to return games to Israel, with EuroLeague officials scheduled to visit the country soon to evaluate the possibility.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Maccabi Tel Aviv may move its EuroLeague home games to Cyprus if hosting in Israel remains impossible.
- The Spyros Kyprianou Arena in Limassol, Cyprus, has been identified as the potential new venue.
- Cypriot authorities have approved hosting approximately 4,500 fans per game at the Limassol arena.
- Hapoel Jerusalem is also expected to move its games to the same Cyprus venue if Maccabi relocates.
- EuroLeague officials will visit Israel in the coming weeks to assess the possibility of returning games.
- Hosting games in Israel remains Maccabi Tel Aviv's primary objective.
Maccabi Tel Aviv is preparing for the possibility of relocating its EuroLeague home games to Cyprus if it becomes impossible to host them in Israel. Currently, the team is playing its home games in Belgrade. The club has identified the Spyros Kyprianou Arena in Limassol, which has a capacity of 8,000, as its potential new home venue. Cypriot government and security services have approved Maccabi to host approximately 4,500 fans per game. If this move is finalized, Hapoel Jerusalem is also expected to move its games to the same arena.
Maccabi Tel Aviv is actively working on multiple fronts to facilitate a potential move to Cyprus. This includes reaching agreements with local entities and meeting EuroLeague requirements concerning the arena, security, broadcasting infrastructure, and hospitality logistics. Parts of the necessary systems for hosting the team in Cyprus were already tested during a preparation tournament held there earlier this month.
However, the club emphasizes that the Cyprus option is currently a backup plan. Maccabi's primary objective remains to host EuroLeague games in Israel, and they are continuing to engage with the league's management to achieve this. As part of these efforts, club chairman Shimon Mizrahi and professional manager Claudio Coldebella met with EuroLeague CEO and competition manager Diego Gian in Abu Dhabi. Following the meeting, it was agreed that the EuroLeague CEO and Gian would visit Israel within the next two weeks as guests of Maccabi Tel Aviv to assess the situation and the feasibility of returning the games of the three Israeli teams to the country.
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