EuroLeague titleholders Fenerbahce announced Thursday that their upcoming matches against Israeli teams Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv will be held in Munich on November 11 and 13, citing security measures imposed by Turkish authorities, AFP reported.
Last season, Fenerbahce relocated two home fixtures against Maccabi to Lithuania.
Since the outbreak of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza in October 2023, Israeli clubs participating in the EuroLeague and EuroCup have been hosting their games abroad.
However, following the October 10 ceasefire agreement, EuroLeague clubs convened last week and “approved the proposal to return matches to Israel starting December 1, 2025,” the organization stated.
Top Turkish clubs Fenerbahce Beko and Anadolu Efes have voiced opposition to the EuroLeague’s decision to allow Israeli teams to resume hosting European competition games on home soil.
Turkey recently also demanded that Israel be banned from international soccer competitions.
While Turkey played a role in negotiating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, tensions between Israel and Turkey have been high since the October 7, 2023 attack which led to the war in Gaza.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has increased his verbal attacks on Israel since October 7. In March, Erdogan blasted Israel and described it as a "terror state" after it launched surprise strikes on terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip.
In June, the Turkish President claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government represents the most significant threat to Middle East security.