Hapoel Tel Aviv Officially Returns to the Drive In Arena

Hapoel Tel Aviv officially announced on Wednesday its return to its home arena, the Shlomo Group Arena (Drive In), following a decision made by the club's fans on February 22, 2026. The first home game will take place against Maccabi Ashdod on Sunday, October 18, at 6:30 PM.

The club clarified in its statement that the team will play at the arena in league matches, the State Cup, and the playoffs should they qualify. In addition, a dedicated section will be allocated for families with children, and the club emphasized that no individual tickets will be sold to the general public. Any remaining tickets will be offered exclusively to club season ticket holders.

Club Chairman Stav Shaham stated: "I am proud and excited about the return to the Drive In and Sunday's opening game. Coming home is a significant moment for the club and the entire red community. We want to see the stands filled with Hapoel fans, families, and the next generation of our supporters. I call on anyone who hasn't done so yet to buy a season ticket and come home with us. Yalla Hapoel!"

The tense relationship between club owner Ofer Yanai and large sections of Hapoel Tel Aviv's fan base, especially the Ultras organization, stemmed from a direct clash over the venue where the team would play. Yanai chose to play at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, which was not well-received by a large portion of the fans. While Yanai saw the move to the larger arena as an economic and professional necessity due to the massive sums he invested and the team's entry into the EuroLeague, the fans viewed the abandonment of the Drive In as a betrayal and a total loss of the club's identity.

Active protests and boycotts by the fans led to a severe crisis in relations between the sides. Yanai announced a broad survey among season ticket holders on February 19, 2026, and on February 22, 2026, the results were published: out of 2,670 fans who voted, 80% decisively voted in favor of returning to the Drive In for Israeli league games.

The main goal of the management's decision is to mend the damaged relations between the fans and Ofer Yanai. Hapoel Tel Aviv has a massive fan base that, for this period, has not been supporting the team the way everyone associated with the club would desire. With a particularly stellar roster featuring top European players and rumors in the background about European games returning to Israel through a lobbying campaign led by Ofer Yanai, this will be a significant test for Hapoel Tel Aviv's management to bring the fans back to the cheering stands.