EuroLeague Launches New European Supercup Tournament in Abu Dhabi

The EuroLeague announced a new prestigious basketball tournament, the European Supercup, to be held for the first time in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in about three weeks. The event will feature four top teams competing in semifinal and final matches on September 18 and 19, just before the start of the regular EuroLeague season. The participating teams include the reigning EuroLeague champion Olympiacos from Greece, runner-up Real Madrid from Spain, defending champion Fenerbahçe from Turkey, and the host team from Dubai, which made history last season as the first non-European club to compete in the EuroLeague.

EuroLeague CEO Jordi Bertomeu explained that the Supercup reflects the league’s ambition to innovate and expand European club basketball’s reach. Hosting the tournament in Abu Dhabi aims to attract new audiences while providing fans, clubs, and partners with a premium event showcasing the sport’s best. Despite heightened security concerns in the region, including fears related to Iran, the EuroLeague chose the UAE for this high-profile event, even as Israel has yet to be approved to host European games due to its own security situation.

The tournament marks a significant step in EuroLeague’s global expansion strategy and raises questions about when Israel might be able to resume hosting European basketball matches amid ongoing security challenges.