By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The adidas NextGen Euroleague Qualifier in Abu Dhabi has been officially cancelled.
The tournament was set to resume this Saturday at 17:00 local time, following a temporary suspension earlier in the day, but it was cancelled indefinitely.
EuroLeague Basketball and local organizers opted to halt the youth tournament as a precautionary measure. Still, after a thorough safety evaluation, the youth tournament of the top European competition will not take place as planned in Abu Dhabi.
The tournament, which features an eight-team field, originally tipped off on Friday.
Before the sudden hiatus, competition was fierce through Rounds 1 and 2. In Group A, Real Madrid established itself as the frontrunner with a dominant 2-0 start. Group B remains a deadlock at the top, with both Zalgiris and the NextGen Abu Dhabi selection team securing two victories apiece. The remaining field includes junior squads from Aris, AS Monaco, Dubai, London Lions, and Valencia.
The action in Space42 Arena restarts with a Round 3 matchup between Monaco and Aris, as the league remains firmly committed to completing the qualifying phase according to the initial plan, with the championship and classification games on Sunday.
The ultimate winner in Abu Dhabi will secure a direct spot in the 2026 NextGen Finals in Athens this May, joining the previously qualified Cedevita Olimpija. They will eventually be joined by winners from the upcoming Bologna and Belgrade rounds, alongside three wild cards.
In a major change compared to previous seasons, the NextGen’s championship game will replace the traditional third-place game of the EuroLeague’s Final Four on Sunday’s schedule, taking place on May 24 in Telekom Center Athens.