The 2026-27 EuroLeague season opens with one of the most competitive landscapes in recent years. Olympiacos defend the title won in Athens, Panathinaikos welcome back Željko Obradović on the bench and Fenerbahçe bet on Shane Larkin's return to rejoin the title race. Meanwhile, a busy summer market has reshaped key rosters — Real Madrid, Barcelona, Zalgiris and Hapoel — and the competition prepares for its first SuperCup outside Europe and for a structural debate with the NBA that could shape the future of continental basketball.
This guide covers the calendar, format, all 20 teams, the biggest summer moves and the storylines that will define the season.
Competition status
The 2026-27 season is the 69th historical edition of Europe's top club competition and the 27th under Euroleague Basketball management. After 2025-26 closed with Olympiacos as champions, the circuit keeps the 20-team format and 38-round regular season with no structural changes from the previous campaign.
Key calendar
| Phase | Dates |
|---|---|
| EuroLeague SuperCup (Abu Dhabi) | 18-19 September 2026 |
| Regular season start | 24 September 2026 |
| Regular season end | 16 April 2027 |
| Play-In Showdown | 20 and 23 April 2027 |
| Playoffs (best-of-five) | 27 April – 12 May 2027 |
| Final Four | 28-30 May 2027 |
The regular season features 380 games in a home-and-away format. The immediate milestone before the league tip-off is the EuroLeague SuperCup in Abu Dhabi.
Competition format
The qualification system remains unchanged from 2025-26:
- Places 1-6: direct playoff berth.
- Places 7-10: Play-In Showdown for the two remaining quarter-final spots.
- Places 11-20: eliminated.
Playoffs are played in four best-of-five series. The four semifinalists advance to the Final Four, whose 2027 venue remains officially unconfirmed (venue still unconfirmed).
Continuity in format does not mean competitive stagnation. On the contrary: with twenty reinforced rosters and a deeper middle of the table than ever, every regular-season round carries distinct weight. Direct quarter-final access for the top six remains the main target for title contenders; for the middle tier, the gap between seventh and eleventh can decide months of work in a single April weekend.
Historical context and evolution
Euroleague Basketball plans expansion to 24 teams from the 2027-28 season, adding uncertainty around licence allocation and the tournament's geographic configuration. In parallel, the NBA is working on its own NBA Europe League with a target launch in October 2027, with no formal agreement with EuroLeague for now.
Reigning champion and 2025-26 context
Olympiacos Piraeus won the 2025-26 EuroLeague (the club's 4th title) by beating Real Madrid 92-85 in the final played in Athens on 24 May 2026. They became the first champion to also finish as regular-season leader, consolidating a dominance that had been building in the closing months of the campaign.
The final in Athens closed a season in which Olympiacos sustained leadership from the regular season through the last possession. It was not a circumstantial title: Georgios Bartzokas' side dominated both registers of the competition, sustained league performance and decisive Final Four execution, with Vezenkov as the constant reference and Fournier emerging when the stage demanded maximum responsibility.
Individual awards
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Season MVP | Sasha Vezenkov (Olympiacos) |
| Final Four MVP | Evan Fournier (20 pts in the final) |
| Rising Star | Jean Montero (Valencia) |
| Title-winning coach | Georgios Bartzokas |
| Runner-up | Real Madrid |
| Semifinalists | Fenerbahçe, Valencia Basket |
Vezenkov was the offensive anchor of the champions throughout the season. Fournier emerged as the decisive figure in the closing stretch with an outstanding Final Four performance. Montero, still at Valencia, won the Rising Star award before becoming one of the summer's headline signings.
Final regular-season standings
The top ten in the regular season were:
- Olympiacos 26-12
- Valencia 25-13
- Real Madrid 24-14
- Fenerbahçe 24-14
- Zalgiris 23-15
- Hapoel 23-15
- Panathinaikos 22-16
- Monaco 22-16
- Barcelona 21-17
- Zvezda 21-17
Reading the completed season
Surprises: Hapoel completed an EuroLeague debut with a 6th-place finish that exceeded all prior expectations. Valencia finished 2nd and cemented their status as a continental elite side. Dubai posted a .500 record in year one. Sylvain Francisco shone at Zalgiris before moving to Panathinaikos.
Disappointments: ASVEL closed at 8-30 and last place. Anadolu Efes (12-26) failed to recover their level from previous years. Partizan and Virtus fell well short of their usual targets.
The final table paints a competition without a single absolute dominator, but with a very settled top group. Olympiacos, Valencia and Real Madrid separated their projects from the pack in the closing months, while Hapoel and Zalgiris showed that European elite status is no longer the exclusive property of historic clubs. At the other end, ASVEL and Efes paid heavily for seasons that never found continuity.
EuroLeague SuperCup 2026 (Abu Dhabi)
The first EuroLeague SuperCup will be held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on 18 and 19 September 2026. The tournament brings together four teams in a semifinal, third-place game and final format.
Bracket and schedule
Semifinals — 18 September:
- Olympiacos (2025-26 champion) vs Fenerbahçe (2024-25 champion) — 16:00 CEST
- Dubai Basketball vs Real Madrid (2025-26 finalist) — 19:00 CEST
Finals day — 19 September:
- Third-place game — 16:00 CEST
- Final — 19:00 CEST
Sporting significance
The SuperCup opens the season with a direct clash between the reigning and previous champions, plus a test for Dubai against the runner-up. For Olympiacos, it is the first chance to showcase a roster boosted by Jean Montero. Fenerbahçe, with Shane Larkin already on board, will look to send a message before the league opener.
Beyond the trophy, the SuperCup will serve as a real thermometer before the league opener. Olympiacos and Fenerbahçe meet with near-definitive rosters in a neutral setting; Dubai, meanwhile, get a chance to measure their progress against the runner-up in a game with result pressure. For coaches, it is the first opportunity to validate systems and rotations before the 38 rounds that decide qualification.
20 participating clubs (2026-27)
The 2026-27 edition keeps the 20-licence format. The only change from last season is the entry of Beşiktaş Istanbul (wildcard) replacing AS Monaco, who voluntarily moved down to the EuroCup.
| Team | Country | Head coach | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anadolu Efes Istanbul | Turkey | Pablo Laso | Bounce-back after 19th |
| LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | France | Tony Parker | Last place 2025-26 |
| Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Spain | Paolo Galbiati | — |
| Beşiktaş Istanbul | Turkey | Dušan Alimpijević | EL debut (wildcard) |
| Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | Serbia | Ibon Navarro | — |
| Dubai Basketball | UAE | Xavi Pascual | 2nd season |
| Armani Olimpia Milan | Italy | Giuseppe Poeta | — |
| FC Barcelona | Spain | Aleksander Sekulić | Rebuild |
| FC Bayern Munich | Germany | Anton Gavel | — |
| Fenerbahçe Tarfin Istanbul | Turkey | Šarūnas Jasikevičius | — |
| Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv | Israel | Dimitris Itoudis | EuroCup wildcard |
| Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv | Israel | Oded Kattash | — |
| Olympiacos Piraeus | Greece | Georgios Bartzokas | Reigning champion |
| Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | Greece | Željko Obradović | New era |
| Paris Basketball | France | Max Lefèvre | Wildcard |
| Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | Serbia | Joan Peñarroya | — |
| Real Madrid | Spain | Pedro Martínez | Post-Scariolo |
| Valencia Basket | Spain | Xavi Albert | Without Montero |
| Virtus Bologna | Italy | Alex Mumbrú | — |
| Zalgiris Kaunas | Lithuania | Tomas Masiulis | Valanciunas return |
Licence change
Beşiktaş come in for AS Monaco, who opted to drop voluntarily to the EuroCup. The Turkish club debuts in the modern EuroLeague era with an ambitious market approach.
Beşiktaş' entry and Monaco's voluntary exit alter the competition's geopolitical map. Istanbul again has three representatives in the elite — unprecedented in the modern era — and the Turkish club arrive with market ambition and the immediate need to adapt to EuroLeague pace and physical demand.
Geographic map by region
Greece (2): Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. No other country concentrates this much competitive tension in so few kilometres: the defending champion and the club with Obradović make Athens the emotional epicentre of the season opener. The Athens derby carries maximum weight again with Obradović on the Panathinaikos bench and Olympiacos as defending champions.
Spain (3): Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Baskonia. Valencia, 2025-26 semifinalists, keep their licence and aim to sustain their rise after Jean Montero's departure.
Turkey (3): Anadolu Efes, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş. For the first time in the modern era, three Istanbul clubs compete simultaneously.
Israel (2): Hapoel and Maccabi. The Tel Aviv derby debuts in modern EuroLeague.
Serbia (2): Crvena Zvezda and Partizan. Belgrade keeps double representation.
Italy (2): Olimpia Milan and Virtus Bologna.
France (2): ASVEL and Paris Basketball.
Others: Dubai (UAE), Bayern Munich (Germany), Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania).
New season derbies
- Tel Aviv: Hapoel vs Maccabi, first time in the modern EuroLeague era.
- Istanbul: triple derby between Efes, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş.
- Athens: Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos with maximum competitive tension.
Summer 2026 market
The summer window has been one of the busiest in recent years, with moves between top clubs, returns from the NBA and coaching changes at title-contending sides. Below, confirmed or officially reported moves.
The summer confirms a clear trend among Europe's elite: the big clubs are not seeking full revolutions, but balance between continuity of winning cores and signings that raise the competitive ceiling. NBA exits, buyouts and returns from the United States have shaped a market in which salary-cap management and tactical fit weigh as much as raw talent.
Olympiacos (title defence)
The champions opted not for a revolution but to strengthen a winning core. The headline addition is Jean Montero, last season's Rising Star, from Valencia.
- In: Jean Montero (Valencia), Codi Miller-McIntyre, Mbaye Ndiaye
- Out: Alec Peters, Monte Morris, Frank Ntilikina, Alex Antetokounmpo
- Core: Vezenkov, Fournier, Walkup, Milutinov
Olympiacos' bet is conservative and ambitious at once: keep the title skeleton and add Montero as a second high-level creation and scoring option. This is not a project that needs redefining; it needs to prove that 2025-26 dominance was not an exception.
Real Madrid (new post-Scariolo era)
Sergio Scariolo left the bench and Pedro Martínez arrives from Valencia. The roster loses Hezonja and Lyles (both to the NBA) and bets on younger, more versatile profiles.
- HC: Pedro Martínez (from Valencia)
- In: Jaime Pradilla, Mikael Jantunen, Max Shulga, Olivier Sarr
- Out: Mario Hezonja (NBA Cavaliers), Trey Lyles (NBA Timberwolves)
The Scariolo-to-Martínez switch introduces legitimate doubt at Real Madrid. The new head coach arrives with credit from Valencia's campaign, but Palacio demand and Hezonja's absence leave the team in a rebuild phase that must unlock young talent without a long adaptation window.
Panathinaikos (Obradović's return)
The big Greek summer story: Željko Obradović returns to the green bench. The additions of Sylvain Francisco (buyout from ASVEL) and Guerschon Yabusele (from the NBA) raise the team's ceiling.
- HC: Željko Obradović
- In: Sylvain Francisco (buyout from ASVEL), Guerschon Yabusele (NBA), Moustapha Fall
- Out: Cedi Osman, Kenneth Faried
Obradović's return to the OAKA goes beyond a simple bench change. Panathinaikos bring back the most decorated EuroLeague coach in history and do so with an elite backcourt built around Francisco and heavyweight additions like Yabusele. Expectation in Athens is not modest: the club is back at the centre of the favourites map.
Fenerbahçe (betting on Larkin)
Shane Larkin's return is the most symbolic Istanbul summer move. Jasikevičius keeps the project with experienced reinforcements like Shavon Shields and Will Clyburn.
- In: Shane Larkin, Shavon Shields, Trent Forrest, Will Clyburn
- Out: Nando De Colo (retirement), Mikael Jantunen
Fenerbahçe have not changed projects, they have reinforced their identity. Larkin's return restores leadership and experience to a team that fell short of the title and keeps Jasikevičius as a guarantee of systemic continuity.
FC Barcelona (rebuild)
Aleksander Sekulić replaces Xavi Pascual, who moves to Dubai. Shengelia's departure (buyout to Dubai) and Vesely's retirement mark a deep overhaul.
- HC: Aleksander Sekulić (Xavi Pascual → Dubai)
- In: Tyrese Martin, Tosan Evbuomwan, Stanley Umude
- Out: Shengelia (buyout → Dubai), Laprovittola, Willy Hernangómez, Vesely (retirement)
Barcelona begin the most open season of their recent EuroLeague era. Pascual's exit, Shengelia's move to Dubai and Vesely's retirement mark a real reset. Sekulić must build a competitive team while the roster still searches for collective identity.
Other key moves
- Zalgiris: Jonas Valanciunas returns from the NBA; the club loses Sylvain Francisco.
- Efes: Pablo Laso on the bench; Bruno Fernando, Dario Šarić and Mike James re-signed.
- Dubai: Tornike Shengelia arrives with a buyout from Barcelona.
- Beşiktaş (debut): Wenyen Gabriel, Furkan Korkmaz, Scottie Wilbekin.
- ASVEL: Jae Crowder and Patty Mills, both from the NBA.
Projected 2026-27 hierarchy
The season presents a clear favourite group, a block of contenders with the roster to fight at the top, and several teams with upset potential in the closing stretch.
The pre-season hierarchy is not a verdict, but a portrait of the balance of power after the market and the previous campaign. The 2026-27 season presents three clear favourites, a block of contenders in transition and a middle tier capable of compressing the Top 8 fight until the very end.
Top title favourites
Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and Fenerbahçe form the reference trio. All three arrive in September with settled rosters, bench continuity — except Panathinaikos, where continuity is historic — and real arguments to fight for the title from the SuperCup onward. Olympiacos defend the title with a proven core and Montero as a luxury addition. Panathinaikos have raised their ceiling with Obradović, Francisco and Yabusele. Fenerbahçe seek redemption after missing out on the 2025-26 title.
Title contenders
Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have the roster and budget to stay in the conversation, but the season will demand patience and results at the same time, but both are in transition. Madrid change coaches and lose Hezonja; Barcelona rebuild under Sekulić with a roster still finding its fit.
Final Four candidates
Zalgiris, Valencia and Hapoel finished last season in privileged positions and keep arguments to repeat. Valanciunas strengthens Zalgiris' interior profile; Valencia absorb Montero's exit; Hapoel showed in their debut they can compete with the elite.
Playoff tier
Dubai, Maccabi, Bayern and Milan should at minimum aim for a Top 8 push, though the gap to the favourites can be significant without a strong start.
Play-In and danger zone
Partizan, Crvena Zvezda, Baskonia and Efes will hover between playoffs and the Play-In. Efes, with Pablo Laso, have room to improve on their 19th-place finish in 2025-26.
Expected strugglers
Paris, Virtus, Beşiktaş and ASVEL start with the goal of climbing out of the bottom places. Beşiktaş debut; ASVEL finished last.
Play-In Showdown and the race for the Top 10
The Play-In Showdown has become one of the most exciting phases on the calendar. Teams finishing 7th to 10th in the regular season fight for the last two quarter-final spots in a mini-tournament with elimination games.
For 2026-27, the battle for those positions promises to be especially tight: talent density in the middle-to-lower table means every regular-season win can have a disproportionate impact in April.
Since its introduction, the Play-In has added a layer of drama the regular season lacked. Teams finishing seventh or eighth can be eliminated in 48 hours; those closing ninth or tenth keep a real path to the quarter-finals. In a season with such parity in the lower half of the table, that format may become April's main protagonist.
Stars and MVP candidates
| Player | Club | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sasha Vezenkov | Olympiacos | 2025-26 MVP |
| Sylvain Francisco | Panathinaikos | 2nd in 25-26 MVP vote |
| Evan Fournier | Olympiacos | Final Four MVP |
| Shane Larkin | Fenerbahçe | Return |
| Jean Montero | Olympiacos | Rising Star |
| Jonas Valanciunas | Zalgiris | Interior anchor |
| Elijah Bryant | Hapoel | 3rd in 25-26 MVP vote |
Vezenkov, the man to beat
The Bulgarian enters the new season as the top MVP favourite after a dominant campaign. His continuity at Olympiacos and Montero's arrival give the champions two elite offensive options.
Vezenkov enters the new season carrying the weight of someone who already proved he could sustain an MVP campaign across 38 rounds. His continuity at the Piraeus, alongside Montero's arrival, makes Olympiacos the team to beat both for individual talent and project stability.
Francisco and the Obradović effect
After finishing second in the 2025-26 MVP vote with Zalgiris, Francisco lands at Panathinaikos expected to lead a project that once again has the most decorated coach in competition history. His buyout from ASVEL confirms the club's will to build an elite backcourt from day one. Francisco does not arrive to adapt: he arrives to set the tempo.
Valanciunas and the emotional factor
Jonas Valanciunas' return to Zalgiris is not just a sporting signing: it carries symbolic weight for Lithuanian basketball and adds another argument for placing Kaunas among Final Four candidates. His NBA experience and club knowledge make Valanciunas far more than an interior reinforcement: he is a reference point for a team that wants to take a step forward among the elite.
NBA relationship (August 2026)
The summer has confirmed several relevant transatlantic moves:
- Confirmed: Hezonja and Lyles (EL → NBA); Yabusele (NBA → Panathinaikos); Valanciunas (NBA → Zalgiris); Crowder (NBA → ASVEL).
NBA Europe League
The NBA maintains its own European league project with a target launch in October 2027. For now, no formal agreement exists with Euroleague Basketball. The EuroLeague shareholder vote expected in late September 2026 will be a key moment for continental basketball governance.
EuroLeague expansion
The planned expansion to 24 teams for 2027-28 fuels debate on licence allocation, financial sustainability and competitive balance in the tournament.
The EuroLeague-NBA intersection is no longer anecdotal. This summer's confirmed moves — Hezonja and Lyles out, Valanciunas and Yabusele in — confirm the transatlantic market remains active, but the deeper debate is elsewhere: the possible coexistence or competition between two European league models from 2027 onward.
Final Four 2027
The 2027 Final Four venue is not officially confirmed. Abu Dhabi holds a contracted agreement, but geopolitical uncertainty has opened the door to European alternatives.
Bids and Plan B
Kaunas, Valencia and Belgrade are positioned as backup options if Abu Dhabi cannot host the event. Until Euroleague Basketball issues an official statement, no locked venue should be published.
The 2027 Final Four venue concentrates one of the season's administrative unknowns. Abu Dhabi holds a contract, but geopolitical uncertainty has reactivated European bids that would see the final phase return to its traditional continental environment.
Key season storylines
1. Olympiacos defend the title
The champions seek something few clubs have achieved: maintaining their level after winning the crown at home. Jean Montero's arrival adds youth and offensive talent to a core that already proved its solidity with Vezenkov, Fournier and Walkup. Bartzokas did not choose to rebuild: he strengthened a system that already worked under pressure. The question is not whether Olympiacos have talent, but whether they can sustain the mental intensity of a season in which every direct rival has improved its roster.
2. Obradović returns to Panathinaikos
The Serbian coach's return to the OAKA is arguably the summer's biggest story. With Francisco and Yabusele on the floor, Panathinaikos have the arguments to fight for everything from day one. Obradović does not return to a rebuild, but to a club with declared ambition and top-tier pieces. The Athens derby thus regains competitive weight that goes beyond local rivalry: every green-and-white clash with the reds can have direct implications in the fight for the regular-season top spot.
3. Fenerbahçe and Larkin's redemption
After falling short of the title, Fenerbahçe bet on Shane Larkin's experience and keep Jasikevičius on the bench. The SuperCup against Olympiacos will be the first exam. Fenerbahçe did not change direction: they reinforced identity with a point guard who already knows Istanbul and EuroLeague demand. Larkin returns to lead a team that needs more continuity in decisive moments.
4. Real Madrid in the Martínez era
Without Scariolo and without Hezonja, the whites begin a new chapter. Pedro Martínez arrives with credit from leading Valencia to 2nd in the regular season, but the demand at the Palacio de los Deportes is another level. Madrid's challenge is not only replacing a head coach and their top scorer: it is maintaining winning culture while the roster gets younger. The SuperCup against Dubai will be the first clue to the new project's adaptation pace.
5. The first SuperCup outside Europe
Abu Dhabi hosts an unprecedented tournament that opens the season and projects the EuroLeague brand beyond the European continent. The SuperCup is not mere promotion: it brings together four teams with real aspirations and serves as the season's first competitive mirror. For Euroleague Basketball, the event also confirms its bet on external markets at a key moment of negotiation with the NBA.
6. Beşiktaş debut in the elite
The Turkish club replace Monaco and arrive with market ambition. Their adaptation to EuroLeague pace will be one of the season's subplots. Beşiktaş arrive with headline signings, but the competitive jump is immediate: 38 rounds against rivals who do not forgive inexperience. Their performance may condition the intensity of Istanbul's triple derby.
7. Barcelona in rebuild mode
Sekulić inherits a project in transition. Shengelia's exit and Vesely's retirement mark the end of an era; how the new signings gel will determine whether Barça can return to the elite. Palau Blaugrana faces a defining season: no room for a slow start if the target is to fight for the Top 4 again. Jasikevičius' continuity in Dubai and Shengelia's move to the Emirati project add an interesting subtext to head-to-head meetings.
8. Valanciunas back at Zalgiris
The Lithuanian center's return is one of the market's most emotional moments. Zalgiris aim to turn that momentum into results. Valanciunas does not arrive as a symbolic gesture: he arrives to strengthen an interior that was already competitive last season. Kaunas want to move from Final Four candidate to a team capable of sustaining that level across the full campaign.
9. Historic derbies
Tel Aviv and Istanbul will experience unprecedented derbies in the modern era. Athens keeps the Greek classic at maximum intensity. The regular-season calendar guarantees multiple meetings between Hapoel and Maccabi, between Efes, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, and between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. Those games will not only move local fanbases: they can directly affect the fight for home-court advantage in the playoffs.
10. The franchise war
EuroLeague and the NBA compete for the future of European basketball. The shareholder vote in late September 2026 could define the competition's direction for the next decade. Beyond the transfer market, the season is also played in boardrooms: expansion to 24 teams, a possible NBA Europe League and calendar negotiation are variables that can alter the European competitive ecosystem long before May's final.