The EuroLeague has tentatively allowed Israeli teams to host games at home again from December 1st, raising hopes for Israel’s Eurovision 2026 participation
Israeli basketball teams will once again host EuroLeague games in their home arenas starting December 1st, according to a preliminary decision by the EuroLeague’s management. Since the outbreak of the war on October 7th, Israeli teams were forced to host home games abroad due to concerns for players’ safety.
According to a report published today (Tuesday) on the Sports Channel, the decision followed extensive efforts by Maccabi Tel Aviv. The management now seeks to monitor the continuation of the ceasefire and receive additional security assurances to ensure the safety of teams and players, though the decision in principle has already been made. The wording of the management’s announcement also inspires optimism: “EuroLeague management and participating clubs welcome the peace initiatives with optimism and hope for the future, believing in basketball’s power to unite people and communities”.
European Shift May Influence Eurovision Decision
Could Eurovision fans also have reason to celebrate? While the EuroLeague’s situation is not identical to Eurovision’s, the reason Israeli teams were prevented from hosting games in Israel was purely security-based.
Still, the EuroLeague’s recognition of the ceasefire and its conditional approval based on its continuation may signal that the EBU will also take the ceasefire into account during its December discussion about Israel’s potential exclusion from Eurovision 2026.
“United by Music” and a Message of Solidarity
Like sports, music is meant to bring people and communities together – echoing Eurovision’s permanent slogan “United by Music”. The slogan, initially chosen for the 2024 contest in Malmö, Sweden, was adopted as the official permanent motto of the Eurovision Song Contest the following year.
Despite Pressure, No Formal Exclusion Recorded
Despite mounting pressure, Israel has not been officially excluded from any international event in sports or culture. Qatar’s attempt to suspend Israel’s membership in UEFA, the global football federation, has so far failed – partly thanks to nations like Germany and Hungary that have stood by Israel.
Eurovision fans continue to pin their hopes on those same countries, and others, to uphold the contest’s core spirit and ensure that Israel remains on the stage.
Israel at Eurovision 2025
“New Day Will Rise” is the song performed by Yuval Raphael, who was chosen to represent Israel after winning the 11th season of “HaKokhav HaBa”. Israel advanced to the final after winning the second semi-final with 203 points and finished second overall with 357 points in the grand final. Israel ranked first in the public vote but only 14th with the jury. This marks the third consecutive year that Israel has reached the top five – an unprecedented achievement.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Israel’s 48th participation in Eurovision. Israel joined the contest in 1973 and has won four times. Its most recent victory was at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy”, performed by singer Netta Barzilai.
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Maor Heumann has been writing about the Eurovision Song Contest and following it for over three decades. He has attended five contests and has found something to appreciate in almost every possible musical genre — from the sugary pop entries that finish last in the semi-finals to the quirky avant-garde pieces that even the competition’s juries struggled to connect with. He usually prefers original languages and songs with depth over Swedish-produced English clones — though he doesn’t promise to stick to that rule.
He grew up on the kibbutz of Sara’le Sharon, who instilled in him a love for music and created his first connection to the contest back in 1993 — before most of the current editorial team was even born.
