EuroLeague Basketball announced on Monday, February 2, that the traditional Final Four third-place game will be removed, replaced by the adidas NextGen EuroLeague Championship Game. The 2026 Final Four will be held in Athens, with semifinals on May 22 and the championship tipping off on May 24.
The decision comes after years of criticism from coaches and players who questioned the relevance and intensity of the consolation match.
Tickets for the Athens Final Four will be released in four public phases to meet exceptionally high demand. Fans who purchased tickets for previous Final Fours will get exclusive early access on February 10, with the first public phase opening on February 11. Each phase will include a limited allocation across multiple price categories, ranging from €399 ($470) to €952 ($1,122).
The EuroLeague emphasized that each fan may purchase a maximum of four tickets per phase, and unsold tickets can be resold only through the official fan-to-fan marketplace at the original purchase price. VIP hospitality packages will also be available during early sales phases.
From a basketball perspective, removing the third-place game aligns with trends in elite competitions. Coaches have argued that a consolation game often lacks competitive intensity, as teams that fall short in the semifinals struggle to motivate themselves for a non-championship matchup.
The 2025–26 EuroLeague season has been highly competitive, with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul leading the standings at 17–7, followed closely by Olympiacos Piraeus and Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv at 16–8. Valencia Basket, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona all hold 16–9 records.
EuroLeague’s phased ticketing approach will allow fans to secure seats after the regular season, during final roster confirmations, and even close to the Play-In Showdown, when the top ten teams remain in contention.
