In a turbulent European basketball landscape, with the looming—but still undefined—threat of NBA Europe, EuroLeague Basketball is moving to define its own 2025–26 season. A board meeting is expected between late April and early May, and time is of the essence.
Among the priorities: confirming the number of teams—18 or expanding to 20—and finalizing the list of participating clubs. For teams like Virtus Bologna, that decision is critical.
Who’s Already In?
Putting aside the NBA Europe question and the persistent interest from clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona, the current EuroLeague structure includes 12 licensed clubs:
- Anadolu Efes (Turkey)
- Baskonia (Spain)
- Olimpia Milano (Italy)
- Barcelona (Spain)
- Bayern Munich (Germany)
- Fenerbahce (Turkey)
- ASVEL Villeurbanne (France)
- Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)
- Olympiacos (Greece)
- Panathinaikos (Greece)
- Real Madrid (Spain)
- Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania)
They will be joined by:
- Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel) – 2024–25 EuroCup champions
- Monaco (France) – secured qualification via EuroLeague playoffs
That brings the count to 14 confirmed teams. Four spots remain open—under heavy negotiation.
Wild Card Race: Four Open Slots
EuroLeague is considering awarding three-year wild cards. Partizan Belgrade, Crvena Zvezda, and Paris Basketball are already far along in talks and close to confirmed according with Sportando sources. These entries would carry a reported cost of €5 million over three seasons.
That leaves one remaining slot, with multiple contenders:
- Virtus Bologna – recent EuroLeague playoff experience, stable structure, and new arena project
- Valencia Basket – multiple EuroLeague appearances
- ALBA Berlin – regular past participant
- Dubai Basketball – a new and ambitious project, aiming for direct entry after a year in the ABA League
If the league sticks with 18 teams, only one of these clubs gets in. But with a potential expansion to 20, more doors open—particularly for Virtus Bologna.
Format Concerns: 18 vs. 20 Teams
While expansion may offer commercial benefits and broader reach, it also raises logistical challenges. A 20-team EuroLeague means 38 regular season games, something difficult to accommodate within current domestic and international calendars—especially in leagues like Spain’s ACB, which already plays 34 games.
Some EuroLeague stakeholders are reluctant to give up the single round-robin format that defines the competition today according with Sportando sources.
Scenarios
🔒 EuroLeague with 18 teams:
14 confirmed +
- Paris (wild card)
- Crvena Zvezda (wild card)
- Partizan (wild card)
- 1 spot TBD
🆕 EuroLeague with 20 teams:
Add 3 more wild cards—likely among:
- Virtus Bologna
- Dubai
- Valencia
- ALBA Berlin
What’s Next?
EuroLeague’s leadership must finalize its plans in the coming weeks, balancing tradition, commercial growth, and increasing pressure from the NBA’s expansion ambitions. NBA Europe, with a proposed 16-team league, is already in discussion stages with FIBA and major investors. The window is small—but decisive.
The European basketball ecosystem is entering a key turning point. How EuroLeague responds will shape the game’s future on the continent.
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