Maccabi Tel Aviv Ownership Dispute Hinges on Shimon Mizrahi's Decisive Role

Three days after the Recanati family announced the sale of 29 percent of Maccabi Tel Aviv to an American company led by Jason Levine, speculation continues about how the other owners will respond. According to the club's original ownership agreement, which allocates shares among founding companies, original owners have priority rights in any purchase. This means if owners Ben Ashkenazi or Richard Deitsch oppose the Recanati family's move, Shimon Mizrahi could step in to buy the shares. However, the shares will not be divided equally, and Mizrahi has an advantage, allowing him to hold a larger percentage. This right gives Mizrahi significant influence in deciding the club's future ownership, enabling him to block entry by Levine or Eric Stillman by acquiring more shares than the other owners.

Currently 86 years old, Mizrahi also serves alongside sporting director Claudio Coldebella as Maccabi's representative in talks with the EuroLeague about the possibility of returning to play in Israel. It has recently emerged that Maccabi Tel Aviv might host its home games in Dubai, with Israeli teams potentially starting the season abroad. The club hopes that if the Dubai venue is approved, other Israeli EuroLeague teams will also be able to play there.