EuroLeague Expansion May Grant Permanent Spot to Second Israeli Team

Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem are awaiting a crucial EuroLeague meeting in Como, Italy, today, where officials may announce an expansion of the tournament to 42 teams by the 2027-2028 season. This expansion is expected to include eight permanent "franchise" clubs. According to reports, the EuroLeague recognizes the need for a second permanent Israeli representative alongside Maccabi Tel Aviv, with one of the two Hapoel teams likely to secure this coveted spot, provided the geopolitical and security situation in the region remains stable. The existing 13 franchise clubs, including Maccabi Tel Aviv, will vote on the new members, influencing the selection of the new Israeli team. Current estimations suggest that Jerusalem might be favored over its Tel Aviv rival. The identities of all eight new permanent members will be revealed gradually by the end of the season, with three expected to be announced by the end of this week: Valencia from Spain, Dubai BC from the UAE, and Paris Basketball from France. Additionally, the league is considering adding a third Greek team to join Panathinaikos and Olympiacos, likely from Thessaloniki, with PAOK being the preferred choice over Aris. Serbian clubs Crvena Zvezda and Partizan Belgrade are also in contention for permanent licenses. Four Italian teams, including Rome BC, Virtus Bologna, and Napoli, are vying for another spot. In total, there will be 21 permanent members, excluding CSKA Moscow. The eight new permanent clubs will pay tens of millions of euros for their licenses, and the remaining three spots in the 24-team competition will be filled by single-season invitees, one of which will be the EuroCup champion.