EuroBasket: a 90-year history of European basketball’s premier competition

As EuroBasket 2025 begins this Wednesday August 27, let’s look back at the history of this foundational competition. Born in 1935, EuroBasket is the oldest international basketball championship still active and has shaped the game on the Old Continent.

From military origins to the first edition in 1935

When James Naismith published the 13 rules of basketball in 1892, he couldn’t imagine his invention would cross the Atlantic to become a major sport in Europe. As noted by Basket Retro, it was American soldiers during World War I who spread basketball in France and several European countries. The 1919 Inter-Allied Games, played at Stade Pershing in Vincennes, was the first real international competition, largely dominated by the Americans.

🏀 The #EuroBasket, the most prestigious European competition, is about to resume.

🔏 This championship is the oldest existing international orange ball contest, with its first edition held in 1935. 👇https://t.co/hoCNyyME8o

— BASKET RETRO (@Basket_Retro) August 26, 2025

Basketball was officially recognized by the IOC in 1930, and FIBA’s creation in 1932 paved the way for the first continental competition: in 1935, in Geneva, ten nations competed in the first EuroBasket. Latvia won this inaugural edition.

Soviet dominance and the rise of Yugoslavia

After the World War II interruption, the competition resumed in 1947. The USSR quickly established its supremacy: from 1947 to the late 1980s, they won eleven out of thirteen editions. Yugoslavia eventually broke this hegemony in the 1970s, winning three titles that decade. The USSR-Yugoslavia rivalry then defined EuroBasket’s identity.

The 1980s and 1990s: Western Europe takes its place

The 1980s saw new nations emerge: Italy won in 1983, Greece created a surprise in 1987 by beating the USSR in a memorable final. After the dissolution of the USSR and Yugoslavia, the 1990s offered a new landscape with Germany crowned at home in 1993, then Lithuania and Croatia establishing themselves among the top nations.

The 21st century: Spain’s era and diversity

In the 21st century, EuroBasket opened up to a wider variety of winners. Russia triumphed in 2007 in Madrid, France finally secured its first title in 2013, and Slovenia became champion in 2017. But the most consistent team remains Spain, which dominated the 2000s and 2010s with four titles (2009, 2011, 2015 and 2022) and an almost constant presence in the final four.

A competition that shapes European basketball’s identity

EuroBasket has been an innovation laboratory: introducing the 24-second clock, three-point shot, and new refereeing rules. But most importantly, it has allowed Europe to develop its own style of play, collective and technical, in contrast to the American model based more on individual talent. Today, EuroBasket is both a springboard for young talent and an essential meeting point for NBA superstars from the Old Continent.