Hapoel Tel Aviv to host EuroLeague games in Sofia if needed
Hapoel Tel Aviv said on Thursday, June 25, 2026, that its EuroLeague home games in the 2026/27 season will be played at Arena 8888 in Sofia, Bulgaria, if they cannot be held in Israel. The club said the Bulgarian arena has been registered as its alternate home venue because the security situation does not allow the games to be staged in Israel.
In its official statement, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv said Arena 8888 in Sofia was chosen as the backup site for EuroLeague games “as long as it is not possible to play them in Israel.” The club stressed, however, that its clear preference remains to host home games in Tel Aviv, in front of its home crowd.
Unlike the previous season, when the team spent long periods away from Israel, Hapoel said all of its day-to-day activity in the coming campaign will be based in Israel. Players, coaching staff, and all other employees will live in Israel throughout the season, train in Tel Aviv, and conduct their routine operations in the country.
The club said it is preparing this alternative to ensure it can continue its EuroLeague participation regularly if the security situation prevents games from being held in Israel. The announcement came after a long season and as the team began planning for 2026/27.
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