By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Euroleague Basketball confirmed the teams on Tuesday for the 2026 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals, setting the stage for eight elite U18 squads to compete in Greece, alongside the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens, presented by Etihad.
Per the press release: “The field of the adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals is set. The tournament will once again gather the world’s top U18 basketball talent as they will battle for the coveted title, traditionally as a part of the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four celebrations, which this year takes place in Athens, Greece.
The NextGen Finals, the world’s premier club-based junior basketball event, will feature eight elite teams:
- Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (winner of NextGen Ulm)
- FC Barcelona (winner of NextGen Bologna)
- Pole France INSEP Paris (winner of NextGen Belgrade)
- Next Generation Team 3SSB
- Crvena Zvezda Belgrade
- Real Madrid
- Zalgiris Kaunas
- Panathinaikos Athens
This marks the first time 3Stripes Select Basketball (3SSB) will compete in the NextGen Finals. 3SSB serves as the premier grassroots platform for adidas Basketball, designed for student-athletes seeking to play at the next level, offering a year-round comprehensive range of competitive basketball camps, tournaments, and initiatives for boys and girls.
The clubs participating in the NextGen Finals have won a combined total of 12 U18 continental trophies, including nine of the last 11 titles. Zalgiris enters as the reigning champion having won the crown in last year’s final in Abu Dhabi, which was club’s third, having previously won in 2007 and in the inaugural event in 2003.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid has claimed a total of five titles, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024. INSEP was crowned champion in 2010 and 2017. Barcelona secured the European championship in 2016, and Crvena Zvezda won its lone title in 2014.
Fans attending the NextGen Finals in Athens, or watching via the EuroLeague’s official YouTube channel, will enjoy 12 group-stage games over the first three days (Thursday, May 21, to Saturday, May 23) at the Sunel Arena.
The tournament will conclude on Sunday, May 24, with the championship game between the two group winners taking place at Telekom Center Athens as a prequel to the EuroLeague Championship Game.
Tickets for the NextGen Finals will be available for purchase during the following weeks.
This season marks the 24th edition of the NextGen. Some of the biggest names in basketball have passed through the competition, including future stars such as Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, Deni Avdija, Kristaps Porzingis, Domantas Sabonis, Vasilije Micic, Nikola Milutinov, Jean Montero, Donatas Motiejunas, Goga Bitadze, Jonas Valanciunas, Egor Demin and Maxime Raynaud, among others.”