The Euroleague expansion plan is in full swing, with the Board of Directors of Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) being kept informed of the progress of the process, which could significantly alter the competition’s landscape starting with the 2027–28 season.
The process for acquiring up to eight new long-term franchises, which officially began in July 2026, has attracted more than 20 official expressions of interest and proposals. Of these, 11 bids were pre-approved and advanced to the next phase, while four more remain on hold.
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The 11 candidates are now invited to submit binding bids, the total value of which amounts to 700 million euros in franchise fees. At the same time, the total expected investment over the next five years exceeds 3.2 billion euros, a development that reflects the growing commercial interest in the competition.
This interest stems both from traditional European basketball markets and from new investment projects in Europe and the Middle East.
Moving forward, the Euroleague will conduct an extensive due diligence process on the 11 pre-approved proposals in order to thoroughly evaluate each bid. The final conclusions are expected to be presented at the owners’ meeting in late September 2026, at which time final decisions will be made regarding the number and identity of the teams that will participate in the first phase of the expansion.
According to the organization’s plan, this process is expected to help increase the total value of the EuroLeague and its clubs to 4.3 billion euros by 2027, based on a relevant estimate by JB Capital.
15% Increase in Revenue
At the same time, the Euroleague is also seeing significant growth on the commercial front. Management presented projections for a 15% increase in revenue on an annual basis, a higher rate than the previous forecast presented in July.
This development is attributed to new commercial agreements that have been signed, as well as to the overall expansion of the organization’s activities in the commercial, television, digital, and partnership sectors.
At the same time, implementation of the three-year Strategic Business Plan continues, with an emphasis on technology, digital development through Euroleague Basketball+, and the modernization of arenas through ArenaCO, which was created to provide funding and expertise to the clubs.
Meanwhile, Euroleague management also briefed the Board of Directors on recent meetings with top executives from the NBA and FIBA, regarding potential future collaborations in European basketball.
Everything seems to indicate, therefore, that the EuroLeague is on the verge of one of the most significant changes in its history, with the franchise model and the potential entry of new investors now taking center stage.
*photo source: CNA
