By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
The ABA League is heading toward a major format change for the upcoming season. The competition will be expanded to 18 teams and divided into two groups of nine, introducing a fresh structure, as officially confirmed.
The league will welcome four new clubs: Vienna and Cluj-Napoca as newcomers, while Ilirija and Bosna have made their way to the top tier from the ABA 2 League.
Based on the current draw, ABA League champion Partizan would compete in Group A with Dubai, Cluj-Napoca, SC Derby, Igokea, FMP, Borac, Split, and Krka. On the other hand, Crvena Zvezda would be in Group B alongside Budućnost, Cedevita Olimpija, Spartak Subotica, Bosna, Mega, Vienna, Zadar, and Ilirija.
The Serbian powerhouses have been placed in separate groups, meaning there will be no Belgrade derby between Crvena zvezda and Partizan in the first phase of the competition.
“Within each group, the teams will play in the round-robin system, where each team faces each other at home and on the road, during the 18 rounds. In each round, one team will be free. Four (4) best-placed teams from groups A and B will advance to the Top 8 stage of the competition. Five (5) teams, placed from 5th to 9th place from Groups A and B will continue the season in the Play-Out stage of the competition. Both will carry their points from the first stage into the second stage of the competition.
During the Top 8 stage of the competition, the teams will face each team from different group twice according to the round-robin system (at home and away), which brings additional eight (8) rounds. The Play-Out stage of the competition will be composed of ten (10) clubs, that will be playing in a round-robin system, where each team faces each opponent from the other group twice (at home and away), which brings additional ten (10) rounds.
Six best-placed teams from the Top 8 stage of the competition will advance directly to the Playoffs Quarterfinals, while the seventh and eighth teams of the Top 8 alongside the first and second placed teams from the Play-Out in the Play-In stage of the competition.
The winner of the Play-In clash between the 7th-placed Top 8 team and 8th-placed Top 8 team will directly qualify for the Quarterfinals, while the losing team will face the winning team of the clash between the 1st-placed Play-Out team and the 2nd-placed Play-Out team for the last remaining spot in the Quarterfinals“, per official annoucement.
The decision whether the Final phase will be played according to the Playoffs System or the Final Four system, will be made as soon as possible.
ABA League 2025/26
Group A: Partizan, Dubai, Cluj-Napoca, SC Derby, Igokea, FMP, Borac, Split, Krka
Group B: Crvena zvezda, Budućnost, Cedevita Olimpija, Spartak Subotica, Bosna, Mega, Vienna, Zadar, Ilirija