Maccabi Tel Aviv Begins New EuroLeague Home Era in Cyprus

Maccabi Tel Aviv will play its first-ever EuroLeague home game in Cyprus on Thursday at the Spyros Kyprianou Arena. The venue, named after the late second president of Cyprus, also hosted games during EuroBasket 2025. The arena underwent renovations in 2025 for the European Championship, with a total investment of 14.5 million euros, as part of Cyprus's bid to host the tournament. During EuroBasket, the arena set a new attendance record for a basketball game between Greece and Spain. Kamar Baldwin, who played for Georgia during that tournament, previously excelled in this arena while representing Georgia, coached by Aleksandar Džikić. Maccabi Tel Aviv itself played in Cyprus during a preseason tournament, which influenced the decision to relocate its home games to the neighboring island to save on travel time. This move is expected to save approximately 75 flight hours and over 47,000 kilometers over the remaining 15 home games of the EuroLeague season, an estimated 82% reduction in air travel distance. The arena, currently used primarily for volleyball and previously hosting events like the EuroChallenge All-Star game and women's basketball, was upgraded to 8,000 seats for the European Championship. For Maccabi's games, security considerations will limit attendance to 3,000 Maccabi fans and 1,500 local spectators. Cypriot police will be responsible for security at the games, a decision that has drawn criticism within the country. While Maccabi continues to work towards returning its games to Israel, the move to Cyprus aims to reduce travel burdens and allow more fans to attend. Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 fans are expected at the upcoming derby match.