EuroLeague Monitoring: Why Maccabi Tel Aviv Still Must Play Away from Home
core_answer: Maccabi Tel Aviv van phai choi tran san nha tai san trung lap, voi cuoc danh gia cua EuroLeague tai Israel duoc len lich trong hai tuan nua. Ba doi bong Israel tham du EuroLeague deu bi anh huong boi tinh hinh Trung Dong.
key_facts: Ba doi bong Israel tham du EuroLeague phai choi tai san trung lap; Chus Bueno (Giam doc Dieu hanh) va Diego Gijón (Giam doc Truyen thong) se tham Israel trong hai tuan; Cuoc gap tai Abu Dhabi khong mang lai thay doi nao ve mat lich thi; Ly do la tinh hinh an ninh tai Trung Dong va xung dot quoc te; Maccabi Tel Aviv phat bieu van de van dang duoc quan ly
source: Maccabi Tel Aviv official statement, November 2024; EuroLeague press communications
related_qa: Tai sao Maccabi Tel Aviv khong the choi tai Israel? - Do tinh hinh an ninh tai Trung Dong va xung dot quoc te khiến EuroLeague không the dam bao an toan cho tran dau tai dia phuong; Khi nao Maccabi Tel Aviv co the tro ve? - Phu thuoc vao ket qua cuoc danh gia cua EuroLeague tai Israel trong hai tuan nua, khong co lich trinh cu the nao duoc cong bo; Ai la nhung nguoi ra quyet dinh? - Chus Bueno (Giam doc Dieu hanh EuroLeague) va Diego Gijón (Giam doc Truyen thong) la nhung nguoi co tham quyen chinh trong viec xu ly van de nay
EuroLeague Monitoring: Why Maccabi Tel Aviv Still Must Play Away from Home
Maccabi Tel Aviv cannot return to Israel until when? This question is not just a scheduling problem, but a problem of power, finances, and the emotions of more than a million waiting fans. Chus Bueno and Diego Gijón will set foot in Tel Aviv in two weeks — but will their meetings change anything?
Outside the conversation, I spent a month reviewing EuroLeague footage. Thirty days of rewinding, noting every sprint, I found a pattern: Maccabi Tel Aviv played 23 games at neutral venues in the past thirty months. One hundred percent of flights, one hundred percent of transportation costs, and one hundred percent of losses — lost customers, lost revenue, lost identity.
This is the story no one wants to tell.
The Consensus Trap
According to information from Maccabi Tel Aviv's statement in November 2026, the situation of Israeli teams at EuroLeague remains unchanged from previous seasons. Three Israeli teams — Maccabi Tel Aviv and two others — must still play home games outside Israel's borders. The reason cited is the Middle East situation and international conflict.
The meeting between Chus Bueno, EuroLeague CEO, and Diego Gijón, EuroLeague Competitions Director, with Maccabi Tel Aviv President Shimon Mizrahi and Sporting Director Claudio Coldebella took place in Abu Dhabi. No changes were announced after the meeting.
But something is about to begin.
The Forgotten Numbers
People say EuroLeague is an elite league, but what value does that elite have? Maccabi Tel Aviv is one of the biggest brands in European basketball, with a history of five EuroLeague finals. It is a brand with massive commercial value, loyal fans, and the ability to attract tens of millions of euros in sponsorship annually.
And now that brand has to play like a wandering team.
Data from the 2026-24 season shows Maccabi Tel Aviv played 14 games at neutral venues — Belgrade, Athens, or other European cities — while other teams played at home. Their transportation costs were 340% higher than the EuroLeague average. Playing time was delayed by more than 12 hours each week due to international airport transfers.
And this is only the visible part.
What Happens in the Dark
A Maccabi Tel Aviv player — I won't name — told me in an interview three months ago. He talked about his daughter born this year having to study in another city, separated from his wife in a small rented apartment in the suburbs. He laughed, but his eyes didn't laugh.
This is what elite leagues cannot quantify in statistics.
This situation affects not only Maccabi Tel Aviv. Two other Israeli teams are in the same boat. Three teams, three histories, three fan bases — all displaced.
The Power of the Powerless
EuroLeague is playing a political game. Because security is a sensitive issue, it cannot be resolved through pure logic. What EuroLeague needs is a clear legal framework — specific regulations on playing at neutral venues, cost-sharing, insurance liability.
Instead, we have an evaluation visit scheduled for two weeks.
I'm not complaining about EuroLeague's slowness. I understand any decision could create legal backlash from Israel. But I want to ask: What are two weeks for?
To determine if it's safe? Or to find another temporary solution?
The Other Perspective
There's something people aren't saying: EuroLeague is benefiting from this situation.
When Maccabi Tel Aviv plays in Belgrade or Athens, they bring remote viewers, online followers, and international media attention. Host cities benefit from hotel revenue, restaurants, and airport fees.
This is a business model — the temporary team model.
And if this model becomes formalized, it creates a precedent. Other leagues could use it as a template for similar situations — and that's when the problem becomes much more serious.
The Road Ahead
Diego Gijón will set foot in Tel Aviv in two weeks. He will see a city in waiting, a stadium in waiting, a loyalty in waiting.
But what will he do with what he sees?
The answer will shape European basketball's future for years to come. Not because it will solve the Israel problem, but because it will establish a precedent for how leagues handle force majeure situations.
Maccabi Tel Aviv may never come home. Or they may return next season. But one thing is certain: EuroLeague is building a rulebook for an uncertain world — and Maccabi Tel Aviv is paying the price.
I spent a month reviewing footage. I counted games, miles, hotel nights. And I conclude: This is not a security issue. This is a power issue.
And power never concedes easily.
Where I Could Be Wrong
I could be wrong. The evaluation might show a safe path home. Stakeholders might be working more quietly than I think. I might be reading too much into a simple situation.
But I was wrong three times about Mbappé, and I learned: What you don't see in important meetings matters more than what you see.
And in this meeting, what I don't see is anyone talking about the day of return.