Businessman Acquires Maccabi Haifa Basketball Club

Businessman Shay Yochai Klausner has acquired the management and control rights of the senior team of Maccabi Haifa basketball club. This move transitions the team to private, independent management, with a significant capital injection and a multi-year plan aimed at returning the club to the Premier League. The youth department will continue to operate under the Maccabi Haifa Carmel association, maintaining full professional cooperation with the senior team.

In parallel, Beni Katz has returned as head coach and will lead preparations for the 2026/27 season. The acquisition marks a new chapter for the club, with Klausner assuming full responsibility for its professional and economic management. This signifies a major structural change, with the senior team operating under a single private ownership for the first time in years, featuring long-term planning, a stable budget, and a professional management structure designed for swift decision-making and sustained development.

Klausner stated, "Maccabi Haifa is more than a basketball club. It is part of Haifa's sporting identity and a source of pride for thousands of fans. I have followed the club for years out of genuine love and belief in its importance to the community and Haifa's sports scene. The decision to take ownership stems from the understanding that returning Maccabi Haifa to its rightful place requires full, professional, and economic commitment in the long term. We are embarking on a new journey with a clear vision: to build a stable, professional, and ambitious club, connected to its fans and operating with responsibility and long-term planning. I am happy about Beni Katz's return and the work already underway for the upcoming season. I invite Maccabi Haifa fans, the city's business community, and everyone who holds the club dear to join us. The journey is just beginning, and I believe that together we can return Maccabi Haifa to its rightful place in Israeli basketball."