Source: basketnews.com
The Basketball Champions League Council has ratified the list of 30 clubs granted direct entry into the 2026-27 regular season, alongside 24 teams that will compete in the qualifying round for the final two spots in the 32-team regular season.
The confirmed participants for the 2026/27 Basketball Champions League include Rytas Vilnius (Lithuania), Joventut, Murcia, Bilbao, Unicaja (all Spain), Alba Berlin, Oldenburg, Bonn (all Germany), Juventus (Lithuania), Nanterre, Cholet, Strasbourg (all France), AEK and Peristeri (Greece), Trabzonspor and Galatasaray (Turkey), Nymburk and Pardubice (Czech Republic), Spartak (Serbia), Cibona (Croatia), Legia (Poland), Italian sides Reggiana and Varese, Israeli clubs Bnei Herzliya and Hapoel Holon, Igokea (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Sabah (Azerbaijan), Szombathely (Hungary), Antwerp (Belgium), Porto (Portugal), and the two winners from the qualifying rounds.
The 24 teams competing in the qualifying stage will be split into two separate tournaments, with the winner of each advancing to the regular season.
Path 1 features teams from countries without current Basketball Champions League representation: Batumi (Georgia), Bakken Orhus (Denmark), Oradea (Romania), Fribourg (Switzerland), Hammers (Netherlands), Levickí Patrioti (Slovakia), AEK Larnaca (Cyprus), and Vilpas (Finland).
Path 2 includes the highest-ranked clubs from countries already represented in the group stage: Vienna (Austria), Opava (Czech Republic), Dziki Warszawa (Poland), Würzburg (Germany), Geneva (Switzerland), Manisa (Turkey), Kolossos (Greece), Lions (Azerbaijan), Manchester (Great Britain), Promitheas (Greece), Rilski (Bulgaria), Breogán (Spain), Benfica (Portugal), Rasta Vechta (Germany), VEF (Latvia), and Denizli (Turkey).
The qualifying tournaments are scheduled from 14 to 20 September 2026, while the regular season will kick off on 6 October 2026.
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