Maccabi Tel Aviv weighing move to Israel instead of Cyprus for home games

Maccabi Tel Aviv did not play their Euroleague home game against Real Madrid in Limassol on Thursday night as expected, and instead hosted the Spanish side in Belgrade, where they lost 99-113.

A source close to the security arrangements for the team’s planned home games told the Cyprus Mail the club has asked Euroleague for permission to stage the remainder of its home games in Israel; should Euroleague refuse, Maccabi will relocate its home fixtures to Cyprus.

The match was played at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, which Maccabi have used as their home court since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.

Cyprus had been preparing to host the fixture at the Spyros Kyprianou arena after police approved the request earlier this month.

Maccabi formally asked Cyprus on September 22, in a letter to President Nikos Christodoulides.

Cyprus is understood to have turned down a similar request in June 2025 after police raised concerns that they could not guarantee safety at such events.

Police unions had warned that the games would need some 500 officers and were a “huge additional responsibility” for a force already short of personnel.

Police spokesman Vyron Vyronos said, “each game would be judged on its own merits”.

A separate police source put the policing cost of all the Maccabi games at more than €1 million.

Maccabi had been scheduled to host Paris Basketball on October 29. Between 12 and 15 home games were expected in Limassol, depending on how far the club progressed.

Last night in Nicosia, Omonia lost 1-4 to Benfica in the third round of the Europa League league phase at the GSP stadium, while in Paphos, Pafos drew 1-1 with Latvian side Riga FC in the Conference League.

The two matches came days before the derby between Omonia and Apoel at the GSP stadium on Sunday, which police are also expected to cover.

Maccabi, who finished 12th last season, have played in Belgrade for the past three years.

Only five Israeli basketball teams played home games in Cyprus behind closed doors after October 7, 2023.