Euroleague Basketball has unveiled a series of rule changes and clarifications for the 2025–26 EuroLeague and EuroCup seasons, aiming to improve game flow, player safety, and officiating consistency. The updates come as the league expands from 18 to 20 teams, with Dubai Basketball becoming the first non-European team outside Israel to participate.
One key change removes warnings before technical fouls for inappropriate behavior or flopping. Warnings will remain for delay of game, waving a hand near a shooter’s eyes, or distracting a shooter with noise or gestures close to their vision.
Coaches and bench personnel will now be automatically disqualified if they enter the court during an opponent’s fastbreak. Referees will issue technical fouls if a coach or bench member disrupts a play by running the sideline or protesting excessively.
The Instant Replay System (IRS) will see expanded use, including eight-second violations in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime. Coaches may challenge these calls anytime during the game once an eight-second violation is whistled.
Foul identity reviews are also now permitted. Referees can use the IRS to confirm the correct player responsible for a foul at any point during a game, though coaches cannot challenge these reviews.
The 2025–26 season marks the 26th in the modern EuroLeague era and the 69th overall for Europe’s premier men’s basketball competition. Fenerbahce enters as defending champions, while Hapoel Tel Aviv will debut after winning the EuroCup, joining two other promoted teams.
Several clubs have secured long-term wild cards to support league sustainability. Crvena zvezda, Partizan, Valencia Basket, and Virtus Bologna received three-year wild cards until 2027–28, while Dubai Basketball received a five-year wild card through 2029–30.
This season also marks the first without Turkish Airlines as the title sponsor since 2009–10, signaling a new chapter in EuroLeague history.
