Dubai Basketball will finally return home to Coca-Cola Arena for the 2025/26 ABA League semifinals after spending 66 days away from the city they represent, marking an emotional homecoming for the team, its players, and fans across Dubai.
The semifinal series against Budućnost VOLI is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 20 as the team returns with a title to be won and history to be created.
Since regional unrest began in February, Dubai Basketball was forced to relocate all ABA League and EuroLeague home fixtures to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Beginning with the team’s EuroLeague clash against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on March 12, the team played nine home games between Sarajevo and Zenica, turning the away arenas into temporary homes during a defining chapter of the season.
For more than two months, the team lived away from Dubai, separated from its home fans, and community, while continuing to compete at the highest level of European basketball.
Despite the disruption, the team remained united throughout the relocation, keeping home fans close in every step of the journey – finishing the ABA League Regular Season on top of the table.
Dejan Kamenjašević, Co-CEO & General Manager of Dubai Basketball, said “We are very happy and grateful to finally return home to Dubai after more than two months away. It has been a challenging period for everyone involved with the club, but throughout this time we felt incredible support from the Chairman, our fans, partners, the ABA League, the Euroleague, and the local authorities who helped make this return possible.”
“We also want to sincerely thank the people of Sarajevo and Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina) for welcoming us and making us feel at home during this period. Their support meant a lot to our players, staff, and families. A special thank you as well to KK Bosna for their collaboration, hospitality, and support throughout these past months.”
He added: “Now, we are excited to be back at Coca-Cola Arena for the most important part of the season and to play in front of our fans once again in Dubai. We invite everyone to join us on May 20 at Coca-Cola Arena and help create a special atmosphere for the team as we bring the ABA League semifinals home.”
The return marks more than just another fixture on the calendar. For Dubai Basketball, it represents resilience and the power of sport to bring a city together. After months away, the team will once again walk out in front of its home crowd with a place in the ABA League finals on the line.
Source: Khaleej Times