Israel sports

Blue-and-white National Team needs accountability, not more excuses, after last loss - analysis

The question facing the IFA is no longer simply how Israel can recover from one disappointing defeat. The time for excuses is over. The time for accountability is now.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
RAN BEN SHIMON faces mounting questions over his leadership of Israel’s national team following the blue-and-white’s disappointing Nations League start.
KENNY LOFTON JR. has quickly emerged as a dominant force for Hapoel Jerusalem, showcasing the all-around ability that has made him one of the team’s most exciting new additions.

Jerusalem’s new basketball roster impresses as Lofton Jr. lives up to the hype

Jerusalem has assembled the talent, hired an experienced coach, and made its Euroleague ambitions clear. Now it must turn that potential into results.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
ISRAEL FANS at Nagyerdei Stadion, Debrecen, Hungary, wave flags after the match of the blue-and-white 3-0 loss to Ireland in Nations League action.

Ireland defeats Israel 3-0 amid pre-game controversy, plenty of pressure

The small group of Irish supporters cheered on their team, while the much larger and considerably noisier group of Israeli supporters cheered on Israel.

|ByALAN SHATTER
Team of Israel during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Israel at Stadio Friuli on October 14, 2025 in Udine, Italy.

'Israel stopped caring': Irish columnist contrasts teams ahead of contentious soccer match

Ireland's players discussed the possibility of staging some form of protest before the match, but Early questioned what such a gesture would mean if they were going to take the field regardless.

|ByWALLA! SPORTS

Football, politics must stay separate, IFA says after Irish team approves Nations League game

Ireland will play Sunday’s Nations League match against Israel following a squad vote, even as goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the team in protest.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2026ByTOBIAS HOLCMAN, REUTERS
September 24, 2026 Republic of Ireland's Conor Coventry with teammates look dejected after the match with Kosovo.

From the NBA to Tel Aviv: Keaton Wallace readies for EuroLeague debut with Maccabi Tel Aviv

Maccabi Tel Aviv is getting ready for the new season with a roster that combines a number of holdovers from last season with a group of newcomers who will look to take the team to the next level.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI TEL AVIV guard Keaton Wallace is set for his first season in Europe after two years with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.

Israel head coach Ran Ben Shimon addresses grueling schedule ahead of Nations League opener

Ben Shimon said Israel’s objective in the Nations League is clear: challenge for the top two places while recognizing the competition’s importance as a pathway toward the European Championship.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2026ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
Israel Coach Ran Ben Shimon has challenged the blue-and-white to compete for the top two places in its Nations League group as the team begins a demanding international campaign.

New Jerusalem basketball club ‘Hapoel HaShisha’ turns sport into a platform for community and hope

Hapoel HaShisha, or “The Beautiful Six” Basketball Club, was established two years after the brutal murder of six hostages in Gaza.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
A screenshot of hapoel HaShisha's social media home page.

Irish athletes group urges national team to boycott matches against Israeli soccer team

Irish Sport for Palestine said the signatories included Olympian Ciara Mageean, former footballer Louise Quinn, former rugby flyhalf Tony Ward, and boxers Tyrone McKenna and Eric Donovan.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2026ByREUTERS
Demonstrators hold a banner urging the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to boycott upcoming UEFA fixtures with Israel, in support of Palestinians during a protest in relation to the ceasefire in Gaza, in Dublin, Ireland, February 21, 2026.

A storybook debut as Yam Madar begins his Maccabi Tel Aviv journey

Yam Madar made his debut with Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he led his new team to a preseason Super Cup win over Hapoel Tel Aviv.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2026ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
YAM MADAR reacts while leading Maccabi Tel Aviv to the preseason Super Cup title in his yellow-and-blue debut.

Jason Levien breaks silence on Maccabi Tel Aviv: 'I love the club, what it represents' - exclusive

In his first public comments on the battle surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv's ownership, the Jewish-American sports executive tells The Jerusalem Post that he is honored to have been approached.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2026ByIDAN KWELLER
Jason Levien speaks at the launch event for DC Flight, Washington's new professional women's volleyball team, on September 16, 2026.

Sasson comes up just short of calendar-year Slam at US Open

Three Israelis – wheelchair players Guy Sasson and Sergei Lysov and junior Dan Brand - represented Israel at the US Open, although none returned home with a championship.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2026ByHOWARD BLAS
ISRAELI WHEELCHAIR tennis star Guy Sasson reached the quad singles semifinals and came within one match of completing a calendar-year Grand Slam in doubles with partner Niels Vink.

No. 29: Ofer Yannay: A leader in renewable energy and innovation

Yannay is the owner of Hapoel Galil Elyon and Hapoel Tel Aviv BC.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Ofer Yannay.

Israel's Guy Sasson, Niels Vink cruise at US Open, keep calendar Grand Slam bid alive

Guy Sasson and Niels Vink opened their US Open doubles campaign with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory, keeping their calendar-year Grand Slam hopes alive.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2026ByHOWARD BLAS
ISRAELI TENNIS star Guy Sasson opened his US Open quad wheelchair tournament with a dominant victory, while compatriot Sergei Lysov lost in doubles but is still has singles on tap.