EuroLeague Expansion: Four Clubs Lead Race for Permanent Licenses Amidst League Overhaul
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
The EuroLeague is planning to expand to 24 teams, with Valencia, Dubai, Paris Basketball, and PAOK Thessaloniki reportedly leading the race for permanent licenses. Entry fees are expected to start at 50 million euros per club, with 15 clubs submitting offers totaling around 1.2 billion euros. Israeli teams Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem are among the other contenders. The expansion's final shape may depend on ongoing negotiations with the NBA over a potential joint competition.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Four clubs, Valencia, Dubai, Paris Basketball, and PAOK, are frontrunners for permanent EuroLeague licenses.
- The EuroLeague plans to expand to 24 teams, offering eight permanent slots.
- Club entry fees for the expanded EuroLeague are projected to start at 50 million euros.
- Fifteen clubs have submitted offers totaling approximately 1.2 billion euros for expansion slots.
- Israeli teams Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem are among the contenders for remaining spots.
- EuroLeague expansion plans are linked to ongoing negotiations with the NBA about a joint competition.
The EuroLeague is reportedly preparing for a significant expansion, with four clubs emerging as frontrunners to secure permanent licenses as part of the league's restructuring. According to BasketNews, Valencia, Dubai, Paris Basketball, and PAOK Thessaloniki are considered the leading candidates for these coveted spots. This move is part of the tournament's plan to expand to 24 teams, with eight permanent slots up for grabs. The expansion process is expected to unfold in three phases, potentially starting as early as November or December 2026 and concluding by the summer of 2027.
Fifteen clubs have submitted offers to join the expanded league, with entry fees estimated to start at approximately 50 million euros per club, though final figures will be negotiated individually. The total value of these initial offers is around 1.2 billion euros, aligning with revenue projections for the planned expansion phases in 2027 and 2031. If all eight permanent slots are filled, 21 of the 24 participating teams would hold such licenses.
Several other clubs remain in contention for the remaining spots, including Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem from Israel, along with teams like Virtus Bologna, Partizan Belgrade, and Crvena Zvezda. The final composition of the expanded league could be influenced by ongoing negotiations between the EuroLeague and the NBA regarding a potential joint competition. The NBA reportedly favors a more limited expansion for the EuroLeague if an agreement is reached, while the EuroLeague has rejected initial proposals and is preparing a counter-offer. The future of this potential partnership is expected to become clearer in the coming weeks, which will significantly impact European basketball and the EuroLeague's expansion plans.
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