Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv Collaborate to Bring EuroLeague Games Back to Israel

Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv have formed an unusual joint effort to persuade the EuroLeague to allow games to be hosted again in Israel. This cooperation, led by club officials Ofer Yanai and Shimon Mizrahi, is taking place mostly behind the scenes due to the complexity of the issue. Meanwhile, Hapoel Jerusalem, which competes in the EuroCup, is pursuing the same goal through separate channels.

The three Israeli teams aim to leverage the current relative calm in the region to convince European competition organizers that it is safe to resume hosting games in Israel. The first opportunity to advance this matter may arise at the upcoming EuroLeague meeting next week. Although the agenda does not officially include this topic, the Israeli clubs hope to raise it and make progress.

Despite these efforts, the new season starting at the end of September will see Israeli teams playing their home games abroad. The goal is to enable a return to Israel later in the season, potentially before the end of 2026 if conditions permit. The teams are also drawing on developments in the Gulf, where Dubai had to relocate its games to Europe last season but is already selling season tickets for a planned return, and Abu Dhabi will host the Super Cup in September and the 2027 Final Four.

The EuroLeague requires a stable security situation before approving any return. Israeli games were moved abroad after October 7, 2023, following previous interruptions due to regional conflicts. Last season, games briefly returned to Israel from December for about three months before being relocated again in late February due to the war with Iran. The current dialogue is ongoing with the EuroLeague under new CEO Jordi Bertomeu, but no change in stance has been noted yet.

Until a decision is made, Hapoel Tel Aviv will host games in Sofia, while Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem will play in Belgrade. The clubs remain hopeful that a return to Israeli arenas during the season is still achievable depending on developments.