By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Winner League is intensifying its push to salvage the 2025-26 season, navigating a complex path between the pursuit of normalcy and the realities of a regional security crisis. Following a meeting with Minister of Culture and Sport Miki Zohar, league officials confirmed a dual-track strategy to ensure the season, suspended since February 28, reaches a sporting conclusion.
The primary objective remains a return to domestic action. League chairman Ari Steinberg emphasized that the league is ‘working day and night’ to bring teams back to their home arenas in front of local fans. However, the league is grounded in pragmatism, with officials having simultaneously drafted a contingency plan to host a bubble format in Europe should the domestic situation remain untenable through the spring.
“Our goal is clear, to play at home, in front of our fans, and to conclude the season in the most sporting manner in Israel,” stated Steinberg. “At the same time, out of responsibility to the league, the teams, and the fans, we are also preparing for additional options. If there is no choice, we will move to a bubble format. And even then, we will start with the clear intention of returning to Israel immediately once conditions allow.”
The urgency to restart comes as Israel’s top-tier clubs already face displacement. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv and Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv have recently relocated their EuroLeague operations to Sofia and Belgrade, respectively, to fulfill their continental commitments.
With a target restart date set for April, the coming weeks will be a race against time. The league’s leadership remains committed to crowning a champion on the court, whether that hardwood is located in Tel Aviv or a makeshift hub in Europe, ensuring that the 2025-26 campaign does not end in a permanent stalemate, similar to the 2024-25 season.