EuroLeague shareholders are continuing preparations to expand their competition to 24 teams in 2027, potentially placing the tournament in direct competition with the NBA’s planned European league.
During their recent meeting at Lake Como, club owners agreed to proceed with converting existing shareholder licenses into franchises.
The competition is also evaluating binding applications from organizations interested in joining as new franchises.
Among the latest candidates is a Rome basketball project associated with Luka Doncic. Several prospective participants had anticipated announcements regarding available places, although no final selections were confirmed during the meeting.
EuroLeague’s expansion would add eight teams to its current 16-team franchise framework, while the NBA is independently preparing a European competition targeting the same launch year.
The NBA’s interest has already increased investment activity across European basketball, encouraging the development of new projects and attracting investment groups interested in acquiring stakes in existing organizations.
Some prospective franchises could ultimately join EuroLeague or EuroCup if they do not secure positions in the NBA-backed competition.
EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno has previously acknowledged that dividing European basketball between competing leagues would be undesirable, although the current circumstances could make such an outcome difficult to avoid.
European basketball experienced a comparable division during the 2000-01 season, when the FIBA-backed Suproleague and EuroLeague operated separately.
The two competitions subsequently merged in 2001.
Whether the NBA and EuroLeague eventually reach a similar arrangement remains uncertain, with both organizations currently pursuing their own projects.
