A second Israeli basketball club has made contact about relocating its home games to Cyprus, club owner Matan Adelson confirmed on Friday, days after a similar request from Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Speaking to the Jerusalem Post, Adelson said Hapoel Jerusalem had approached Cypriot authorities once it became clear the option was available. 

The enquiry follows a formal request submitted by Maccabi Tel Aviv earlier this week, which sent a letter to President Nikos Christodoulides asking to use Cyprus as its home venue for EuroLeague fixtures.

The government has declined to disclose details of those discussions, citing security considerations.

Two venues, the Tassos Papadopoulos Eleftheria stadium in Nicosia and the Spyros Kyprianou sports centre in Limassol, are understood to be under consideration for Maccabi.

Cyprus previously hosted matches involving several Israeli basketball clubs after the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, though those games were played behind closed doors.

The government’s stance on hosting such fixtures later shifted amid security concerns, and a similar request from Maccabi in June last year was reportedly turned down over police concerns about the safety and operational demands of the games.

Hapoel Jerusalem, founded in 1935, is one of Israel’s leading clubs, with two Israeli league titles, in 2015 and 2017, and eight Israeli State Cups.

The club is majority owned by Adelson, who holds a 90 per cent stake, with the remaining 10 per cent held by a fan association.

He is the youngest son of Miriam Adelson, the Israeli American businesswoman and third largest donor to Trump’s 2024 election bid, donating $106 million.