Sports · Basketball · 3 hrs ago
NBA Europe plan calls for 16 teams, including 12 permanent franchises
The NBA and FIBA are developing a new European basketball league called NBA Europe.
The proposed format has 16 teams, including 12 permanent franchises and four places decided through qualification.
Those places are expected to go to Basketball Champions League finalists and teams that win tournaments linked to domestic leagues.
The plan is part of a proposed two-tier structure, with NBA Europe alongside the fully open Basketball Champions League.
The NBA says European basketball is fragmented and takes in less than 0.5% of the region’s sports-industry revenue, despite that industry generating about $50 billion a year.
Discussions with EuroLeague clubs are continuing, and NBA Europe’s launch timing is unclear: one account says 2027-28, while another says the start of the 2026-27 winter season.
NBA Europe is planned as a 16-team league, with 12 permanent franchises and four places open through qualification.
The project is being developed by the NBA and FIBA as part of a proposed two-tier European basketball structure.
The four open places are expected to go to Basketball Champions League finalists and winners of domestic-league qualification tournaments.
Giorgos Aivazoglou said the plan aims to address fragmentation in European basketball and unlock the sport’s commercial potential.
The sources give different launch timings: the 2027–28 season in Sportando and the start of the 2026–27 winter season in Eurohoops.
- Who
- The NBA and FIBA are developing the project. Giorgos Aivazoglou outlined the proposed structure.
- What
- A proposed 16-team NBA Europe league, with 12 permanent franchises and four qualification places.
- When
- The sources disagree: Sportando says 2027–28, while Eurohoops says the start of the 2026–27 winter season.
- Where
- Europe.
- Why
- The project aims to unite a fragmented basketball ecosystem and unlock the sport’s commercial potential.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Sportando and Eurohoops published reports outlining Aivazoglou’s vision for NBA Europe.
Eurohoops says the league is scheduled to launch at the start of the season.
Sportando says the league is expected to launch in this season.
- Planned league size
- 16 teams
- Permanent franchises
- 12
- Open places
- 4
- Qualification routes
- Basketball Champions League finalists and winners of domestic-league qualification tournaments
- Development partners
- NBA and FIBA
2 sources
What people are saying
Our vision is to create a two-tier ecosystem pan-European at the top
Over the next few weeks we will be able to drive something very, very meaningful for European basketball together.
there’s been a fragmentation and fracturing of the ecosystem
We want to keep it traditional and authentic and keep the soul as it is, but bring in entertainment elements that allow different segments, different audiences to come in,