Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) member clubs met on Thursday, November 27, to evaluate the current situation in Israel. The meeting followed the announcement issued on October 21, which identified December 1 as a tentative date for the potential restart of games in the country.
During the meeting, clubs received a detailed briefing on last week’s official Euroleague Basketball (EB) delegation visit to Israel, which included a comprehensive on-site inspection of current conditions and the safety measures and conditions to be implemented, as well as formal meetings with multiple governmental bodies. The clubs also reviewed the most recent discussions conducted by EB with local and international authorities, visiting teams, and all relevant organizations, including ELPA, EHCB, and UEBO, who have been actively involved and informed throughout the monitoring phase.
After careful deliberation, Euroleague Basketball has determined to activate the return plan and resume the competition in Israel beginning with Round 10 of the EuroCup and Round 15 of the EuroLeague. The first game in Israel, since October 2023, is scheduled for December 9, when Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem will host Veolia Towers Hamburg in the EuroCup. The EuroLeague will return on December 11 with the matchup between Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne while Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv will make its home debut on December 16 against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.
Euroleague Basketball will continue to closely monitor developments and maintain constant communication with local and international authorities, visiting teams, and all relevant organizations to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved. In this regard, the return plan presented by the EB management commits to full cooperation and alignment with national government recommendations or restrictions with regards to the travel of their domestic teams to Israel.