Canadian Tennis Canada announced Tuesday that the Davis Cup World Group match between Canada and Israel will be held in Halifax due to safety concerns.
The decision was negotiated with the International Tennis Federation due to “security issues” marked by local authorities and national security agencies, the organization said in a press release.
It was also after more than 400 Canadian athletes and academics, including Olympic runner Moh Ahmed, urging Canadian tennis to cancel Israeli action in Gaza and the West Bank.
Canadian tennis CEO Gavin Ziv called the result “very disappointing” but said the safety of athletes, fans and staff is a top priority.
“At the heart of this difficult decision, it’s our responsibility to protect people while making sure this Davis Cup tie is still available,” Ziv said. “We were forced to conclude that playing behind closed doors is the only way to maintain participants and preserve the incident itself.”
The tie will be held on Friday and Saturday, initially played at the Scotiabank Center. Tennis Canada says fans who purchase tickets will receive a full refund within 30 days.
The winner will advance to the 2026 Davis Cup qualifiers.
The announcement of Canadian tennis comes on the second day of Montreal-based human rights group Palestinian and Jewish solidarity, asking Mayor Valérie Plante to ban Israeli-Primeer Tech cycling team from Sunday’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal.
