Basketball Champions League 2026-2027: 30 Direct Entries Confirmed, 24 Teams Battle for Final Spots

The Basketball Champions League has officially unveiled its lineup for Season 11, and the field is taking shape. Thirty clubs have secured direct entry into the 2026-2027 Regular Season, marking a key milestone in the buildup to one of European club basketball’s most competitive seasons. The announcement came after the BCL Board ratified the list in Mies, Switzerland, following a June 19 application deadline that saw a total of 61 clubs vie for a spot in the competition.

Line-up (almost) complete: Introducing the BCL Season 2026-2027 teams! 📋#BasketballCL pic.twitter.com/iJMIHdomxD

— Basketball Champions League (@BasketballCL) June 25, 2026

A Strong Foundation: 30 Direct Entries Confirmed

The 30 teams securing direct entry represent a cross-section of European basketball’s elite. Among them are nine national league champions, including defending BCL champion Rytas Vilnius from Lithuania, who will look to repeat their title run. Other champions in the Regular Season field include ALBA Berlin (Germany), Spartak Office Shoes (Serbia), ERA Nymburk (Czechia), Cibona (Croatia), Windrose Giants Antwerp (Belgium), Falco KC Szombathely (Hungary), FC Porto (Portugal), Legia Warszawa (Poland), and Sabah BC (Azerbaijan).

The lineup also features some of Europe’s most storied franchises. Spanish powerhouses Unicaja, Asisa Joventut, UCAM Murcie, and Surne Bilbao all earned direct berths, while France will be represented by Nanterre 92, Cholet Basket, and SIG Strasbourg. Greece sends AEK BC and Peristeri Betsson, with Turkey contributing Trabzonspor and Galatasaray MCT Technic. Italy’s Pallacanestro Reggiana and Pallacanestro Varese round out a field that spans 16 different countries.

Three Newcomers Inject Fresh Energy

Among the 30 confirmed direct entries, three clubs will be making their BCL Regular Season debut: Czech side BK KVIS Pardubice, Turkish club Trabzonspor, and Portuguese outfit FC Porto. Their inclusion adds fresh blood to a competition that continues to grow in stature across the continent.

The announcement also marks the return of several notable franchises. Former BCL champions Telekom Baskets Bonn are back after a successful domestic campaign, while former Final Four participants BMA365 Bamberg Baskets, Peristeri Betsson, SIG Strasbourg, UCAM Murcia, and Windrose Giants Antwerp have all earned their way back into the Regular Season. Croatian champions Cibona return for the first time since the inaugural season, and Italian powerhouse Pallacanestro Varese makes its first appearance since Seasons 1 and 2. Back-to-back FIBA Europe Cup champions Surne Bilbao also made the Regular Season, having last participated in 2022-23.

Remarkably, AEK BC remains the only club to have participated in all 11 editions of the Basketball Champions League, underscoring the competition’s evolution and the consistency of Greek basketball’s top tier.

24 Clubs Fight for the Final Two Spots

While 30 teams have already punched their tickets, the Regular Season field is not yet complete. Two additional spots remain up for grabs, and 24 clubs will compete in Qualification Round tournaments to claim them. Those matches are scheduled to take place from September 14 to 20, 2026, giving hopeful sides a narrow but clear window to break through.

The Qualification Rounds will be held in two tournament formats, each designed to ensure fair representation across Europe. The first tournament, known as Country Representation 1, will feature the eight champions and finalists from countries not yet represented in the Regular Season lineup. This group includes BC Batumi 2010 (Georgia), Bakken Bears Aarhus (Denmark), CSM CSU Raiffeisen Oradea (Romania), Fribourg Olympic Basket (Switzerland), Landstede Hammers (Netherlands), Patrioti Levice (Slovakia), Petrolina AEK Larnaca (Cyprus), and Salon Vilpas (Finland).

Country Representation 2 comprises the 16 next best-ranked clubs from across Europe, ensuring that competitive teams from established basketball nations also get a shot at the Regular Season. This group includes BC Vienna (Austria), BK Opava (Czechia), Dziki Warszawa (Poland), Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets (Germany), Lions de Geneve (Switzerland), Manisa Basket (Turkey), Kolossos H Hotels BC (Greece), Landau Lions (Azerbaijan), Manchester Basketball (Great Britain), Promitheas Patras BC (Greece), Rilski Sportist (Bulgaria), Rio Breogan (Spain), SL Benfica (Portugal), RASTA Vechta (Germany), VEF Riga (Latvia), and Denizli Basket (Turkey).

A Tight Schedule Leads Into October

Once the Qualification Rounds conclude and the final two spots are decided, the full Regular Season field will be set. The 2026-2027 BCL Regular Season is scheduled to begin on October 6, 2026, giving clubs a tight turnaround from the qualifiers to the main competition. The draw ceremony for both the Qualification Round tournaments and the Regular Season groups will take place on July 8 at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland, and will be livestreamed on the official BCL YouTube channel.

Eyes on the NBA Europe Prize

The stakes for Season 11 are higher than ever. The BCL champion is expected to qualify for the first-ever NBA Europe competition, which is set to launch in October 2027. One or two additional teams may also earn spots in the qualifying tournament for the NBA Europe initiative, adding significant prestige and opportunity to the competition.

The announcement reinforces the Basketball Champions League’s continued expansion and ambition. With three newcomers already confirmed among the direct entries, nearly two dozen clubs still competing for a chance to join them, and the prospect of NBA Europe qualification on the horizon, Season 11 is shaping up to be the most anticipated edition yet. European basketball fans will have plenty to watch as the summer progresses and the final picture comes into focus.