Turkey refuses to host Israeli team in EuroLeague - game moved to Latvia

Less than a week after Maccabi Tel Aviv stunned Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe - currently ranked second in the EuroLeague - another matchup between the Israeli champions and a Turkish team is dominating headlines.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is set to face Anadolu Efes on March 28 as part of the EuroLeague, but the game will no longer take place in Turkey. Originally scheduled to be hosted by Anadolu Efes on their home court, the match has been relocated due to ongoing tensions and the Turkish government’s hostility toward Israel, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Instead, the game will be played in Riga, Latvia, a familiar host for Israeli teams in past European tournaments.

Relations between Turkey and Israel have been strained due to Turkey's refusal to condemn Hamas' October 7 massacre and have gotten even worse with the downfall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

In January 2025, tens of thousands gathered in Istanbul to protest against Israel, showing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a vocal critic of Israel for years, fueling anti-Israel sentiment in Turkey.

Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, an expert on Turkey at Tel Aviv University, noted that Erdogan initially viewed the war as just another round of violence. However, as Israel waged an all-out war against Hamas, Erdogan's ties with Israel deteriorated, influenced by his ideological affinity with Hamas' Muslim Brotherhood roots.

One of the most significant developments is the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which has raised questions about the future of US-backed Kurdish groups in Syria. The Turkish-backed Islamist rebels who overthrew Assad now pose a direct threat to Kurdish territories, a situation that places Israel, which has had covert relations with the Kurds, in a difficult position. Turkey is working to solidify its influence in Syria, and with its border now closer to Israel, tensions could escalate in what was once one of Israel’s quietest frontiers.

“There is a real risk of a future military confrontation between Israel and Turkey,” said Prof. Efrat Aviv, a Turkey expert from Bar-Ilan University. “The unprecedented events in the region are setting the stage for further escalation.”