The EuroLeague shareholders confirmed the league’s expansion from 18 to 20 teams for the 2025-26 season during their meeting on May 29, 2025. Following ALBA Berlin’s move to the FIBA Basketball Champions League, the vacant spots will be filled by EuroCup champions Hapoel Tel Aviv, Valencia Basket, and Dubai Basketball, marking a historic shift for the league.
Licenses and Format Updates
Valencia Basket, AS Monaco, Partizan Belgrade, Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, and Virtus Bologna received three-year licenses, while Dubai Basketball secured a five-year license—an exception to standard terms—to assess its impact. Paris Basketball was granted a one-year wildcard to evaluate the market’s potential. The league will maintain its format, increasing regular season games from 34 to 38, ensuring more competitive matchups for fans.
Strategic Growth in Focus
Dubai’s entry, backed by potential sponsorships like Emirates Airlines, aims to expand the EuroLeague’s commercial reach in the Middle East, as noted in prior Sportando reports. Meanwhile, Hapoel Tel Aviv’s inclusion follows their recent signings like Dan Oturu, per Sport5, and Valencia Basket’s return strengthens Spanish representation. The expansion reflects the EuroLeague’s ambition to grow its global footprint while testing new markets.
Posted on: 29 May 2025, 12:30 CET
