Two of Turkey’s top basketball clubs protested on Wednesday over a EuroLeague decision to once again let Israeli teams host European competition home games in Israel.

In a joint statement, İstanbul’s Fenerbahçe Beko and Anadolu Efes expressed concern at the decision, questioning how it was reached and saying that they had begun talks with EuroLeague’s management over the issue.

Anadolu Efes Spor Kulübü & Fenerbahçe Beko Ortak Açıklaması

EuroLeague’de, İsrail takımlarının 1 Aralık 2025 tarihinden itibaren iç saha maçlarını yeniden İsrail’de oynayabilmesine ilişkin haberler gündeme gelmiştir.

21 Ekim 2025 tarihinde EuroLeague yönetimi tarafından gayri… pic.twitter.com/5ryLbADhBn

— Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) October 22, 2025

Since the Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023, Israeli clubs in the EuroLeague and EuroCup have played their home games abroad.

But following the October 10 ceasefire agreement, EuroLeague clubs met on Tuesday and “approved the proposal to return matches to Israel starting December 1, 2025,” the body said.

Maccabi Tel Aviv, six-time winners of the competition, and Hapoel Tel Aviv are playing in the EuroLeague this season while Hapoel Jerusalem are in the second-tier EuroCup.

“Fenerbahçe Beko and Anadolu Efes have expressed their disapproval of the matter and clearly voiced their concerns about the potential outcome should the decision be implemented,” the clubs wrote on X.

Although the EuroLeague press release and statements by its CEO Paulius Motiejunas “indicated that all members were unanimous during the decision-making process, no vote was taken at the meeting,” they wrote.

Both clubs were in ongoing talks with Turkey’s sporting institutions “and the EuroLeague management regarding this matter” and would make the outcome known, they said.

Both Turkish clubs in the EuroLeague, which only began on September 30, have yet to play away to either Israeli side.

In October 2023, EuroLeague shareholders decided that Israeli clubs would play their international matches on safer grounds due to Israel’s war on Gaza.

Since then, Hapoel Tel Aviv have made their home in Sofia, while Maccabi Tel Aviv’s home base has been Belgrade.

© Agence France-Presse