Sports

New England Patriots remain Israel's team: Why Israelis are invested in Superbowl LX -opinion

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's fight against antisemitism through NFL campaigns and promotion of American football in Israel gives Israeli sports fans a stake in Super Bowl LX

|BySTEVE LEIBOWITZ
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS owner Robert Kraft’s legacy as an avid supporter of Israel is set in (Jerusalem) stone. The Patriots are in this weekend’s Super Bowl.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS forward Deni Avdija, the first Israeli selected to the NBA All-Star Game, has found his historic achievement followed by online backlash after a congratulatory message from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Deni Avdija drawn into political storm after Netyanyahu’s All-Star praise

Netanyahu’s message, posted shortly after Avdija was named an All-Star reserve, read: “Every time you step onto the court, our country shines with pride.”

|ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS forward Deni Avdija (8) scores a basket during the first half against Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

Israel’s basketball powerhouse: Deni Avdija’s meteoric rise to NBA stardom

Deni Avdija has become the fulcrum of Portland’s offense and one of the most productive two-way forwards in the league.

|ByASHER SMITH
Some of the Jewish and Israeli 2026 Winter Olympians, from left: Noa Szollos, Quinn Hughes, A.J. Edelman, Attila Mihály Kertész and Mariia Seniuk.

Jewish and Israeli athletes to watch in the 2026 Winter Olympics

Israel will send nine athletes to Milan for the 2026 Olympic Games, its second-largest delegation at its ninth Winter Olympics.

|ByJACOB GURVIS/JTA

Curse is broken: Hapoel Tel Aviv’s night to remember after derby drought - comment

Over the course of these 30 contests that were sandwiched between wins, Maccabi won 25 times and drew five games as it scored 56 goals and conceded only 10.

JANUARY 30, 2026ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
The scene at Bloomfield Stadium was bedlam as Hapoel Tel Aviv players and fans celebrated together after the Reds earned their first derby victory over arch-rival Maccabi since 2014.

Everyone loves Rayman after Maccabi Tel Aviv's Euroleague triumph

Above all, the player who contributed to the win over the Greeks was Will Rayman, who perhaps made the most important and critical play, a play that wasn’t even with the ball.

JANUARY 25, 2026ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI TEL AVIV'S Will Rayman (11) has earned an increasingly important role with the club and he was instrumental in the yellow-and-blue's 75-71 Euroleague victory over Panathinaikos.

Saudi Arabia postpones 2029 Asian Winter Games at NEOM after repeated delays

The postponement marks a setback for the kingdom, which has committed to hosting several major events over the next decade.

JANUARY 25, 2026ByREUTERS
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman announces a zero-carbon city called "The Line" to be built at NEOM in northwestern Saudi Arabia, January 10, 2021.

Can you predict a pitchers' duel before betting odds shift?

JANUARY 21, 2026ByDAVID RABINOWICZ
Baseball Betting.

Maccabiah award honors Werder Bremen fans' stand against antisemitism

The award was given to the Hersh Goldberg-Polin Circle of Friends, which was created to commemorate slain Gaza hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

JANUARY 19, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
SV Werder Bremen President Dr. Hubertus Hess-Grunewald; Malte, Representative of the Hersh Friendship Circle; Alon Meyer, President of Makkabi Germany; Arnd Zeigler, SV Werder Stadium Speaker.

When Jewish athletes dominated Polish sport: A lost legacy

From soccer to fencing, Jewish athletes once dominated Polish sports, and now their story is being told in Ramat Gan.

JANUARY 17, 2026ByBARRY DAVIS
The Maccabi Krakow ice hockey team in full flow during a game in 1934.

Alex Bregman, who drew a Jewish star on his cap after October 7, inks $175M deal with the Cubs

Bregman's contract with the Chicago Cubs is the second-largest contract ever signed by a Jewish ballplayer, behind Max Fried’s $218 million contract in 2024.

JANUARY 17, 2026ByJACOB GURVIS/JTA
Alex Bregman meets the media during his first press conference after signing with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on January 15, 2026.

‘It’s a marathon, not a sprint’: Zalgiris, Lo eye big night vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

The Lithuanian squad was in Israel just a couple of weeks ago, and came away with a win over Hapoel Tel Aviv. It would like to replicate that success after splitting its last two Euroleague games.

JANUARY 15, 2026ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
ZALGIRIS GUARD Maodo Lo (in red), a veteran of top European clubs and a regular member of the German national team, brings extensive international experience into tonight’s Euroeague matchup against host Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Israeli MMA fighter Shimon Smotritsky earns unanimous decision win at 559 Fights 120 - interview

"When I fight like myself, freely, and without trying to entertain someone or try to hype the crowd up and do all this nonsense, I’m the best version of myself," Smotritsky says.

JANUARY 13, 2026BySAM HALPERN
Shimon Smotritsky (left) and James Porter at the weigh-ins ahead of their match at the 559 Fights 120 event in Porterville, California.

Maccabi Tel Aviv defeats Hapoel Jerusalem

Hapoel Tel Aviv handles Ramat Gan • Beersheba beats Galil Elyon • Herliya downs Ness Ziona

JANUARY 12, 2026ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI TEL AVIV teammates Roman Sorkin (left) and Oshae Brissett celebrate after a basket during their team’s 95-84 win over Hapoel Jerusalem over the weekend.