Euroleague expansion process advances with 11 candidates

The Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) board has announced that 11 organizations have been pre-selected for the acquisition of new long-term franchises, with the process officially beginning in July 2026. This expansion aims to reshape the competition starting from the 2027/28 season. More than 20 expressions of interest were initially received, while four additional candidates remain on a waiting list.

The 11 pre-approved candidates, which include PAOK, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Red Star, Partizan, Maxima Roma, Virtus Bologna, Dubai BC, Paris, London Lions, Valencia, and Napoli, must now submit binding offers. The total value of these franchise fees is estimated at 700 million euros, with total investments for the next five years expected to exceed 3.2 billion euros. This development reflects significant commercial interest from both traditional European markets and new projects in the Middle East.

Moving forward, the Euroleague will conduct an extensive due diligence process to evaluate each proposal thoroughly. For clubs like PAOK, securing a ten-year franchise would represent a major administrative and financial milestone, enabling enhanced competitiveness and long-term organizational stability within the European basketball landscape.