The EuroLeague is going through one of the most decisive moments in its recent history. Europe’s premier club basketball competition is already working on a major transformation of its structure with the aim of consolidating a more stable model, attractive to investors and capable of competing financially with other major sports leagues around the world. The plan includes moving toward a franchise system, adding new teams and increasing the number of participants in the coming years, in a strategy that could redefine the future of continental basketball.
During the Final Four held in Athens, EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno confirmed that the organization has already received 17 offers from groups interested in becoming expansion franchises. The executive explained that the roadmap points toward implementing this new model starting in 2027, while negotiations continue with historic clubs such as Real Madrid and the competition studies an expansion to reach 24 teams per season.
A model seeking stability and investment
The EuroLeague has spent years trying to establish a system less dependent on short-term sporting results and closer to the structure of major American leagues. The idea of moving toward franchises responds precisely to that need: offering financial stability, guaranteeing the permanent presence of certain clubs and increasing commercial appeal for sponsors, broadcasters and private investors.
According to Bueno, between 18 and 19 teams could hold franchise status in the new format. This would represent a major structural change within European basketball, historically linked to promotion, relegation and traditional sporting qualification systems. In addition, the organization is studying the creation of two conferences, a formula directly inspired by models such as the NBA, which would allow the calendar to expand, create more rivalries and strengthen the competition’s international business.
The NBA emerges on the EuroLeague’s horizon
Another point generating major interest within the project is the relationship between the EuroLeague and the NBA. Although no agreements have been finalized yet, Chus Bueno acknowledged that currently “everything is on the table” in conversations between both organizations. The executive left the door open to possible future collaboration formulas, including strategic partnerships, joint ventures or even deeper integration.
The growing economic value of the European competition also appears as a key factor in these negotiations. A recent study by JB Capital valued EuroLeague assets at €1.4 billion, while the combined value of the clubs reached €3.2 billion. In this context, acquiring a standard franchise stake would cost around €80 million, a figure that reflects how European basketball is increasingly seeking to position itself as a global industry capable of attracting international capital and competing in an ever more demanding sports market.
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