Hapoel Tel Aviv Owner Optimistic About Return to Israel, EuroLeague License

Ofer Yanai, owner of the basketball club Hapoel Tel Aviv, met with EuroLeague CEO and competition manager Diego Gian on Sunday to advance the team's return to playing games in Israel and secure a permanent license in Europe's top basketball competition. Yanai expressed optimism about both issues, stating that discussions focused on the franchise process and bringing games back to Israel. He anticipates that these processes will take a few more weeks but is hopeful for positive outcomes.

Yanai is aiming for the team to host games in Israel as early as December 29, potentially for the Tel Aviv derby in the EuroLeague, where Hapoel is scheduled to be the home team. He hopes this can be achieved within weeks, cautiously targeting the start of the second round for this possibility.

Professionally, Yanai has set two main goals for the season: winning the Israeli championship and reaching the EuroLeague Final Four. He noted that winning the EuroLeague is the sporting path to ensuring the team's continued participation in the competition without a franchise license. Despite the challenges, Yanai believes Hapoel Tel Aviv's status in the EuroLeague will be resolved in some manner by the beginning of next year.