Getting back to the games while under fire
· Yahoo Sports
Israeli sports leagues prepare to resume under strict safety guidelines, with empty stadiums and arenas.
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The professional Israeli sports leagues are gearing up to get back to action in the shadow of war, as both the soccer and basketball competitions are looking to renew their respective leagues over the next few weeks.
The Israeli Professional Football Leagues Administration announced this week that both the Premier League and Leumit League will resume under Home Front Command Guidelines.
In the first stage, matches will be held with a minimal number of essential personnel required to conduct the game, as approved by the Home Front Command and without spectators, in order to reduce the amount of people gathered at once. Teams and all participants will be required to operate under strict rules aimed at ensuring the safety of everyone involved.
Stadiums must be approved Home Front Command
Stadiums were approved to host matches only after a thorough inspection and confirmation by the Home Front Command that they contain a standard protected space and not merely the “best available protection” as was the case during the Swords of Iron War, capable of accommodating all participants and reachable within the required protection time defined for each stadium’s location.
Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, along with the Netanya Stadium and Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa, are all approved facilities. However, there are a number of regularly used stadiums that do not include the Moshava Stadium in Petah Tikva as well as Turner Stadium in Beersheba, among others.
Football and basketball leagues across Israel are pushing ahead with plans to complete their seasons as the war continues. (credit: YEHUDA HALICKMAN)For those stadiums where the standard protected space cannot accommodate all participants, which is the case with more than half of the stadiums, the Administration has launched an expedited operation to procure and install mobile fortified shelters (Mamad units) approved by the Home Front Command.
At the Administration’s request, the Ministry of Culture and Sport has mobilized to significantly assist in funding the project. The actual procurement, following all coordination by the Administration, will be carried out by each local authority responsible for the stadium in its jurisdiction.
Authorities that do not act immediately to install the mobile protected units will result in the stadium being disqualified, and the teams playing there will be required to relocate to alternative venues.
The Leumit League will resume with completion matches from Round 25 on Tuesday, March 24, while the remaining teams will return with Round 26 matches starting Friday, March 27, 2026.
The Premier League will resume with Round 25 matches immediately after the international break, on the weekend of April 4, 2026. League matches, as well as State Cup semifinal matches, will be played continuously and very intensively, on weekends and midweek. Clubs and stadiums have been asked to prepare accordingly, given the complex implications.
Chairman of the Leagues Administration Erez Kalfon said, “After a forced break, I am pleased that we have received approval from the Home Front Command to resume matches. The return is not complete without fans in the stands, especially in a successful season in which supporters filled the stadiums and attendance records were broken. However, under the current circumstances, unfortunately, it is not possible to safely allow fans to attend. I believe that watching the matches will provide football lovers in Israel with some relief and a break from the difficult daily atmosphere.
“Resuming the league on this schedule will allow it to conclude on the field in a sporting manner, which has been our goal since the start of Operation Roaring Lion. Teams and all involved will have to operate under unprecedented workloads and non-ideal conditions, and I expect full cooperation and mutual responsibility from everyone, especially in these difficult times. I, along with all residents of Israel, hope for quieter days and extend my support to IDF soldiers and civilians on the home front.”
The Israel Basketball League is also continuing to operate intensively to ensure the resumption of the playing season and its completion on the court, while also examining all possible alternatives in light of the security situation.
Following a meeting held with Minister of Culture and Sport Miki Zohar, the main and clear objective is to return to playing in Israel in front of fans and in the teams’ home arenas. At the same time, out of responsibility for the continuation and proper sporting conclusion of the season, additional options are being considered, including holding the remainder of the season in a “bubble” format outside of Israel, if it is not possible to resume play in the country as soon as possible.
A “bubble” format
The bubble format is a contingency plan only, part of preparing for any possible scenario, and does not replace the extensive efforts currently being made to enable the return of games to Israel as soon as possible. As soon as conditions allow, the league will act to immediately resume play in Israel.
As part of the preparations, several alternatives for hosting the bubble in Europe are being considered, with a target to resume activity in any chosen format during the month of April.
The Chairman of the league, Ari Steinberg, commented: “Our goal is clear - to play at home, in front of our fans, and to finish the season in the most sporting way possible in Israel. We are working day and night with all relevant parties to make this happen.
“At the same time, out of responsibility to the league, the teams, and the fans, we are also preparing for additional possibilities. If there is no choice, we will move to a bubble format. Even then, we will begin with a clear intention to return to Israel as soon as conditions allow. I would like to thank Minister Miki Zohar for his commitment to supporting sports in Israel.”
The Leumit Basketball League will restart this coming Friday with a full slate of games, while the Women’s Basketball League is slated to complete its regular season on Monday, March 30.