Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv Join Forces to Bring EuroLeague Games Back to Israel

With the 2026/2027 EuroLeague season starting in about six weeks, Israeli basketball clubs Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv have united in a joint effort to restore hosting EuroLeague home games in Israel. Club leaders Shimon Mizrahi, chairman of Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Ofer Yanai, owner of Hapoel Tel Aviv, held separate discussions with EuroLeague CEO Jordi Bertomeu to advocate for the return of games to Israeli venues.

This initiative follows the EuroLeague's recent decision to allow Dubai to host its home games despite regional tensions, while Israeli teams continue to play their home matches abroad. Mizrahi and Yanai presented detailed security guarantees to demonstrate that hosting games in Israel can be done safely. Their message was well received, and both clubs now express cautious optimism that the league will approve the move by November, roughly a month and a half before the new season begins.

Bertomeu has previously stated that the league's preference is for all teams to enjoy home-court advantage and play in front of their own fans, contingent on government and security authorities confirming it is safe to do so. The combined pressure from the Israeli clubs and the security assurances they provided aim to pave the way for EuroLeague games to return to Tel Aviv venues in the near future.