Newsletters
Besiktas will play its UEFA Europa League match against Israel's Hapoel Beer-Sheva in Georgia on Nov. 26, moving the fixture out of Türkiye following security concerns surrounding the game.
The fifth-round league-phase match will take place at Batumi Stadium in the Georgian coastal city of Batumi, with the Turkish club confirming Friday that supporters will be allowed to attend.
The relocation means Besiktas will give up home advantage in Istanbul for the fixture, which was originally scheduled to take place at its home ground. The club has yet to announce ticket prices or sales arrangements.
The decision to move the match outside Türkiye comes amid heightened political tensions between Türkiye and Israel over the Israeli aggression in Gaza and concerns about possible security incidents surrounding fixtures involving Israeli teams.
In September, reports identified security considerations as the reason for relocating the game, with Batumi emerging as a practical option because of its proximity to Türkiye and the lighter travel burden on Besiktas during a crowded fixture schedule.
The relocation also revives a similar case involving Besiktas in November 2024, when the club was due to host Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv in Istanbul.
The fixture was subsequently moved to Debrecen, Hungary, after the country's authorities agreed to host it.
Local officials ordered the game to be played behind closed doors following clashes involving Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in Amsterdam earlier that month, when the Israeli club faced Ajax.
Besiktas asked its fans to cancel their travel plans, while Maccabi went on to win the match 3-1.
Besiktas heads into the fixture with seven points from its first three Europa League matches, having opened its campaign with a 4-1 win over Marseille before beating Hoffenheim 3-2 away from home.
The Turkish side then drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace on Oct. 22, leaving it unbeaten in the competition with two wins and a draw.
Hapoel Beer-Sheva, meanwhile, has struggled to gain ground in Europe. The Israeli side opened its campaign with a goalless draw against Dinamo Zagreb before suffering consecutive defeats to AZ Alkmaar and Union Saint-Gilloise.
Its 4-0 loss away to Union SG on Oct. 22 left it with just one point from three matches, after scoring once and conceding six goals.
The teams therefore approach their Nov. 26 meeting from different positions in the league phase, with Besiktas looking to build on its unbeaten European start and Hapoel Beer-Sheva seeking to recover from a difficult opening run.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
