By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Euroleague Basketball has officially launched its franchise process, taking the next step in its long-term plan to expand the competition to 24 teams by the 2027-28 season.
The organization intends to award up to eight long-term franchises, while reserving two places for EuroCup qualifiers and retaining the flexibility to issue wild cards. At the same time, the current 13 shareholder licenses will be converted into long-term franchises at no additional cost, recognizing their longstanding commitment to the league.
According to Euroleague Basketball, the process has already attracted more than 20 formal proposals, representing over €1.2 billion in potential investment. Existing EuroLeague and EuroCup clubs, as well as new projects from markets such as Rome, Berlin and London, are among those expressing interest.
The application process opens this month, with the first franchises expected to be awarded from September onwards. Euroleague Basketball plans to announce the first selected clubs and strategic markets between September and November, pending final approval.
“Our strategic plan… continues to be executed successfully, and we are extremely pleased with the progress we are making,” CEO Chus Bueno said. “European basketball is experiencing an extraordinary moment. Interest from investors continues to increase every week, and it confirms the tremendous opportunity we have to accelerate the growth of our sport and our competition.”
Bueno added that the league expects the value of franchise investments to double within three to four years, describing EuroLeague as “a premium competition” offering an attractive and sustainable investment opportunity.
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