Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Tournament Returns to Abu Dhabi with Elite U18 Teams
Euroleague Adidas Next Gen tournament 2026 Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi prepares to welcome basketball’s brightest young talents as the 2025-2026 adidas NextGen EuroLeague makes its return to the UAE capital. Eight of Europe’s most prestigious U18 teams will battle from February 27 to March 1 at the state-of-the-art Space42 Arena, with a place at the adidas NextGen Finals in Athens on the line.
The tournament showcases an impressive field led by defending continental champion U18 Zalgiris Kaunas and five-time winner U18 Real Madrid. The winner of this qualifying event will secure their spot at the Finals during the EuroLeague Final Four in Athens, Greece, this May.
Group Stage Battle Lines Drawn
The eight teams have been divided into two competitive groups of four, with each playing a round-robin format. Group A features Real Madrid alongside U18 Aris Thessaloniki, U18 Dubai Basketball, and U18 AS Monaco. Group B pits Zalgiris against newcomers U18 London Lions, U18 Next Gen Team Abu Dhabi, and U18 Valencia Basket.
Real Madrid arrives seeking redemption after a disappointing previous season where they finished only third at the Munich qualifier, ending their remarkable streak of 11 consecutive qualifying tournament victories. The Spanish powerhouse had also won 19 straight NextGen games before falling to Zalgiris in group stage action at the Finals, missing their chance at a three-peat.
Defending Champions Lead Strong Field
Zalgiris Kaunas enters as the team to beat, having captured their third NextGen title last summer in Abu Dhabi. The Lithuanian club boasts an impressive tournament pedigree, appearing in all 24 NextGen seasons since the competition’s inception in 2003. Their previous championships came in the inaugural 2003 event and again in 2007.
Valencia Basket makes its 10th NextGen appearance and eighth consecutive, having reached the Finals twice previously. The London Lions debut in the competition as the newest addition to this elite field, while the Next Gen Team Abu Dhabi competes in its fifth season under two-time EuroLeague champion Dogus Balbay as head coach.
The top teams from each group will meet in the championship game on Sunday, March 1, with placement games determining final standings. U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana has already secured their Finals berth by winning the Ulm event, while Bologna and Belgrade qualifiers will complete the Athens field.
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