By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The Basketball Champions League has officially confirmed the 30 clubs that have secured direct entry into the 2026-27 Regular Season, while another 24 teams will compete in the Qualification Round tournaments for the final two places in the 32-team field.
A total of 61 clubs submitted applications before the June 19 deadline, with the BCL Board ratifying the final lineup during Thursday’s meeting in Mies, Switzerland.
The champion of next season is expected to qualify for the first-ever NBA Europe competition starting in October 2027, and one or two more teams are likely to compete in the qualifying tournament for the NBA Europe.
It has also to be noted that the average position on the domestic leagues’ final standings of the BCL teams is 3.9, while EuroCup teams are ranked at 5.3.
The Regular Season field includes 16 national champions, nine of whom qualified directly: ALBA Berlin (Germany), Spartak Office Shoes (Serbia), ERA Nymburk (Czechia), Cibona (Croatia), Windrose Giants Antwerp (Belgium), Falco KC Szombathely (Hungary), FC Porto (Portugal), Legia Warszawa (Poland), and Sabah BC (Azerbaijan).
Defending champions Rytas Vilnius headline the field, which also features established European clubs such as Unicaja, Joventut Badalona, UCAM Murcia, ALBA Berlin, Galatasaray, AEK, Nanterre 92, Telekom Baskets Bonn, BMA365 Bamberg, Peristeri, Igokea m:tel, and Hapoel Holon.
Three clubs will make their Basketball Champions League Regular Season debut: BK KVIS Pardubice, Trabzonspor, and FC Porto. Former champions Telekom Baskets Bonn return to the competition, while former Final Four participants BMA365 Bamberg, Peristeri, SIG Strasbourg, UCAM Murcia, and Windrose Giants Antwerp are also back in the Regular Season.
Croatian champions Cibona return to the BCL for the first time since the inaugural season, while Italian side Pallacanestro Varese makes its first appearance since Seasons 1 and 2. Back-to-back FIBA Europe Cup champions Surne Bilbao also return after last competing in the Basketball Champions League during the 2022-23 season. AEK remains the only club to have participated in all 11 editions of the competition.
The remaining two Regular Season places will be decided through two Qualification Round tournaments. Country Representation 1 includes BC Batumi 2010, Bakken Bears, CSM CSU Oradea, Fribourg Olympic, Landstede Hammers, Patrioti Levice, Petrolina AEK Larnaca, and Salon Vilpas. Country Representation 2 features BC Vienna, BK Opava, Dziki Warszawa, Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets, Lions de Geneve, Manisa Basket, Kolossos H Hotels, Landau Lions, Manchester Basketball, Promitheas Patras, Rilski Sportist, Rio Breogan, SL Benfica, RASTA Vechta, VEF Riga, and Denizli Basket.
The Qualification Round tournaments will be played from September 14 to 20, with the Regular Season tipping off on October 6. The draw for both the Qualification Round tournaments and the Regular Season groups will take place on July 8 at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland.
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