By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
During a meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Friday, the FIBA Europe Board approved expanding the FIBA Europe Cup to 48 teams, maintained bans on Russian and Belarusian teams, solidified youth championship venues, and celebrated new records in attendance.
Per the press release: “The FIBA Europe Board, term of office 2023-27, concluded its tenth meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland on May 15, 2026.
The event, hosted by the Icelandic Basketball Federation, was chaired by FIBA Europe President Jorge Garbajosa while FIBA President Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis and FIBA Executive Director Europe Kamil Novak were all in attendance.
The FIBA Europe Board held its May meeting in the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, on Friday.https://t.co/5KPfbP3cf8
— FIBA Media (@FIBA_media) May 15, 2026
In his opening speech, Mr. Garbajosa made special reference to the seamless execution of the season-ending events of club competitions in Europe. He highlighted the unprecedented success of the EuroLeague Women Final Six in Zaragoza, in particular in terms of attendances and fan activation.
In his remarks, Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani also underscored the atmosphere and the quality of the event in Zaragoza.
Mr. Zagklis offered in his address a review of the recent FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 draw and the FIBA Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Berlin.
During the Berlin event, the FIBA Central Board assigned the hosting rights of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2030 to Japan, and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2031 hosting rights to France, with the latter tournament returning to Europe for the first time since 2014.
The following topics were also discussed:
National Team Competitions and National Federations
The Board heard reports on the recent draw of the Second Round of the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers.
The status of Russian and Belarusian teams in FIBA Europe competitions remains unchanged as per the recent decision of the FIBA Central Board, which will discuss the matter anew during its September convention.
Club Competitions
The Board unanimously approved the proposal of expanding the FIBA Europe Cup (FEC) competition to 48 clubs, following a thorough examination of options and feedback from participating clubs.
The Regular Season will be played in eight (8) groups of six (6) teams each, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the Second Round.
Youth Competitions
The early designation of two events was approved:
- The 2027 FIBA U18 EuroBasket (Division A or Division B) in Matosinhos, Portugal.
- The 2028 FIBA U18 EuroBasket (Division A) in Tallinn, Estonia.
Development
The Board approved updates on the various development programs, including the new cycle of the Youth Development Fund (YDF) for 2026-28 and the TIME-OUT 4.0 Project, which is set to start in June 2026.
Other matters
Prior to the Board meeting, the FIBA Europe leadership hosted a working meeting with the Secretaries General of the European Basketball Federations.
The event focused on offering updates and information on important topics, ranging from transfers and eligibility, to officiating and access to FIBA Europe development programs. All topics were related to the everyday work of the persons in charge of daily basketball operations in Europe.
The next FIBA Europe Board meeting will take place in Hamburg, Germany in November 2026.”