Israeli sports

Hapoel Tel Aviv wins first game in basketball series on technicality after Iran missiles

Despite Tel Aviv being awarded the game on the court after the game was abandoned, the Israel Basketball Association will issue a final ruling on the situation at a later time.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
BASKETBALL OFFICIALS and police confer while deciding to halt Game 1 of the semifinals between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem as fans (inset) exit Yad Eliyahu. (Yehuda Halickman)
MONTANA TUCKER will perform and help lead the athletes’ parade during July’s Maccabiah Opening Ceremony at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.

Montana Tucker, Netta Barzilai to headline Maccabiah Games opening

The ceremony will combine music, sports, and Jewish unity, featuring thousands of athletes from dozens of countries marching into Teddy Stadium.

|ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
TAMIR BLATT and Maccabi Tel Aviv are rounding into form ahead of a derby this week vs Hapoel and then the upcoming playoffs.

Maccabi cruises, Hapoel rallies as Tel Aviv basketball derby looms

The round of games was also overshadowed by the death of Hapoel Galil Elyon’s Israeli guard Raz Adam last week at the age of 26 in a car accident.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
A wonderful career. Bibars photographed wearing the Israeli national team uniform

Former Israeli national soccer captain Bibars Natcho retires from the sport

Israeli soccer legend and former national team captain Bibars Natcho announces retirement, saying "My journey has come to an end."

|ByWALLA! SPORTS, SPORTS SYSTEM 1

Israel to compete in Gymnastics World Cup despite controversial blockade

The Israeli Gymnastics Federation will participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, following negotiations with Indonesian authorities.

JULY 15, 2025ByAMI GRABER
Artem Dolgopyat, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo, silver in Paris, and the floor exercise at the Worlds two years ago, is among Israel’s potential competitors in Jakarta.

Beitar Jerusalem ends Eran Zahavi pursuit, closing door on striker's final stop in Israeli soccer

Ultimatum, uncertainty, and chemistry concerns derail talks between Israeli soccer star and capital club.

JULY 7, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
FOR MORE than a decade, Eran Zahavi has been one of the biggest stars in Israeli soccer, from Tel Aviv to China, the Netherlands and back. But at 37 years old, his playing future is uncertain.

Blue-and-white closes strong with 7th place at U19 World Cup

The Israel Under-19 National Team wrapped up a historic run at the FIBA U19 World Cup with a 79-68 win over host nation Switzerland, clinching seventh place.

JULY 6, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
OREN SAHAR took a lead role over Israel's last few games at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup, scoring a team-high 21 points in the blue-and-white's 79-68 victory over Switzerland to clinch a seventh-place finish

Israel's basketball star Maya Zilbershlag embraces challenge at U18 Euros tournament

Maya Zilbershlag has been listed on FIBA’s website as one of the “10 Players to Watch” and led Israel with 16 points in the opening loss to France.

JULY 6, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MAYA ZILBERSHLAG and the Israel Under-18 Women’s National Team have high hopes despite a tough group at the European Championship in La Palma, Spain

Israeli tennis teen star Mika Buchnik bows out at Wimbledon

She was on Court 5 of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, trailing badly in a first-round Wimbledon Girls’ Singles match. Still, she wanted to capture the moment.

JULY 6, 2025ByMICHAEL J. LEWIS
MIKA BUCHNIK returns a shot to China’s Rueien Zhang during the 18-year-old Israeli’s 7-5, 7-6(6) loss over the weekend in the Wimbledon Juniors tournament.

Double draft delight: Israelis Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf unite with the Brooklyn Nets

On this night, two young Jewish athletes made the world stop and take notice – together, in black and white, at the very heart of basketball’s most diverse city. 

JULY 5, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
BEN SARAF (L) and DANNY WOLF are slated to become the first Israeli teammates in the NBA.

NBA Draft-bound 19-year-old Israeli guard Ben Saraf shines on big stage

Israeli teen sensation leads Ulm vs Bayern in German finals, strengthens case for 1st-round pick.

JUNE 23, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
BEN SARAF drives to the basket while playing for Ulm against Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga finals, which the 19-year-old Israeli hopes to win tonight ahead of the NBA Draft.

Israel U19 basketball team heads to FIBA World Championship in Europe

Israel’s U19 basketball team overcomes hurdles to compete in the FIBA World Championship this June.

JUNE 23, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
ISRAEL’S UNDER-18 National Team poses after its fourth-place finish at the 2024 EuroBasket clinched the country a spot in this year’s Under-18 World Championship.

Israeli basketball team given 24-hour ultimatum on FIBA U19 World Cup participation

Several countries have offered to host the team for training purposes, but without security clearance and logistical approval, the squad remains sidelined.

JUNE 17, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
THE ISRAEL Under-18 team celebrates in August 2024 after qualifying for this year’s U19 World Championships, a tournament that is now in jeopardy for the blue-and-white squad due to the ongoing war with Iran

Maccabiah Games postponed to 2026 in shadow of Israel's war with Iran

The 2025 Maccabiah Games, set for July, have been postponed until 2026 due to escalating security risks in Israel.

JUNE 16, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
THEN US PRESIDENT Joe Biden poses with athletes at the opening ceremony of the 21st Maccabiah in Jerusalem in July 2022. On Monday, this year's edition of the Games was officially postponed until next summer due to the war with Iran.