Euroleague Confirms Return to Israel Amidst Regional Tensions
TEL AVIV, November 28, 2023 – The Euroleague Basketball organization has greenlit the return of games to Israel, effective December 9th, signaling a renewed commitment to its Israeli clubs despite recent regional instability. The decision follows meetings in tel Aviv last week between Euroleague CEO paulius Motiejūnas and Competition Director Diego Guillen with representatives from both Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The move restores home-court advantage for Israel’s euroleague teams after a period of relocation necessitated by escalating conflict. Maccabi Tel aviv had been forced to play its home games in Belgrade,Serbia,while Hapoel Tel Aviv utilized Sofia,Bulgaria,as a temporary venue. The return is a critically important victory for Israeli basketball fans and the clubs, allowing them to onc again host European competition on home soil.
both Hapoel and Maccabi expressed optimism following their two-day discussions with Euroleague officials.Maccabi Tel Aviv will host ASVEL Villeurbanne on December 11th, and Hapoel Tel Aviv will welcome Crvena Zvezda belgrade on December 16th. Žalgiris Kaunas is scheduled to play Hapoel Tel Aviv in Tel Aviv on December 30th,followed by a matchup against Maccabi Tel Aviv in early january.
Currently, Maccabi Tel Aviv holds a record of 3 wins in 13 games, placing them 19th in the Euroleague standings. Hapoel Tel Aviv leads the league with 9 wins.
The decision to resume games in Israel comes after a period of heightened security concerns, including a recent Israeli strike in lebanon on November 21st that resulted in the death of Haitham Ali al-Tabtabai, a commander within the Hezbollah organization. Euroleague officials have reportedly assessed the security situation and resolute that resuming play in Israel is viable at this time.
