EuroLeague stakeholders meet in Italy to discuss long-term strategic expansion

On October 5 and 6, 2026, representatives from the 13 EuroLeague shareholder clubs are gathering in Como, Italy, for a high-level summit to determine the future of European basketball. Key attendees include leadership from Olympiacos (Panagiotis and Giorgos Angelopoulos, Giorgos Skindilias, and Nikos Lepeniotis) and Panathinaikos (Dimitris Giannakopoulos, Vasilis Parthenopoulos, and Margarita Thanou). The summit focuses on defining a ten-year strategic plan, transitioning current licenses into permanent franchises, and discussing a potential expansion of the league to 24 teams.

While reports from AlphaNews suggest the potential NBA acquisition of EuroLeague shares is a primary topic, other sources like Goal News Cy clarify that no NBA officials were invited to Como, casting doubt on the immediate priority of a merger. Discussions are instead centered on organizational growth, with clubs such as PAOK and Aris mentioned as candidates for prospective franchises. A formal vote on these matters is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, which will set the trajectory for the league's format and structure in the coming years.