The NBA is moving forward with plans to establish a new European basketball league, with senior vice president and managing director for Europe and the Middle East Giorgos Aivazoglou providing additional details about the proposed competition.
Speaking during a panel discussion in London, Aivazoglou outlined the NBA’s collaboration with FIBA and explained how the organizations intend to restructure European club basketball.
The proposed system would feature two levels of competition, with NBA Europe operating as the leading tournament and the Basketball Champions League serving as a second competition with open access.
“Our vision is to create a two-tier ecosystem pan-European at the top, NBA Europe, a semi-open league, and then as a second competition the BCL, which will be fully open,” he explained.
NBA Europe is currently scheduled to launch at the beginning of the 2027-28 season, with plans for 16 participating teams.
Under the proposed format, 12 clubs would hold permanent places in the competition, while the remaining four spots would be awarded through qualification.
Those opportunities would be connected to the Basketball Champions League and season-ending qualification tournaments involving clubs from domestic championships.
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The format is intended to provide a pathway for teams outside the permanent membership to reach the new competition based on their sporting performances.
The NBA is also targeting major European markets, including Great Britain, as part of its plans to expand basketball’s audience and commercial presence.
At the same time, Aivazoglou stressed that the new league should preserve the traditions and atmosphere associated with European basketball.
The executive believes the competition can introduce additional entertainment opportunities while maintaining the characteristics that have helped European clubs develop loyal fanbases.
“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,” he concluded.
The NBA and FIBA are continuing preparations for the proposed competition, including discussions about participating clubs, qualification procedures and the relationship between NBA Europe and domestic leagues.
