ANKARA
UEFA has decided to relocate the match between Turkish club Beşiktaş and Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv, which was originally slated to take place in Istanbul on Nov. 28, local media reported on Nov. 4.
According to TRT Spor, the specific country and stadium for the fixture will be determined by the weekend.
Local media said that the decision was taken as a response to the heightened tensions between Israel and Türkiye amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, prompting UEFA to favor a more “neutral venue.”
In a parallel situation, the Beşiktaş basketball team also played their match against Israeli club Hapoel Shlomo in Serbia due to security concerns and choosing a neutral ground over Istanbul.
The rumors have already surfaced on Beşiktaş’s UEFA Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv might be held in another country.
“If they’re so afraid, they should withdraw from the tournament instead of avoiding Istanbul,” Beşiktaş’s Deputy Chair Hüseyin Yücel earlier said.
Earlier this year, an Israeli footballer at the center of a row over a gesture of solidarity with hostages in Gaza he made during a match in Türkiye returned to Israel.
After the match, Sagiv Jehezkel was briefly detained in the southern city of Antalya and accused of incitement.
Days after, a second Israeli player also left the country.
