The BKT EuroCup will feature its largest field ever in 2026-27 after Euroleague Basketball officially unveiled a 32-team lineup and a revamped competition format that significantly expands the tournament’s reach across Europe.
Following approval by the Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) Board, the EuroCup will grow from 20 teams to 32 clubs representing 16 countries and territories. The competition will be divided into four groups of eight teams, with the top 16 advancing to the postseason.
The new playoff structure introduces four knockout rounds: Eighthfinals, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals. Every postseason series will be played in a best-of-three format, replacing previous single-game elimination rounds and creating a more extensive path to the championship.
Euroleague Basketball said the expansion was driven by strong interest from clubs seeking a stable and competitive European platform. The organization noted that the EuroCup continues to attract teams looking for long-term planning opportunities and a high-level international environment.
A total of 22 clubs received five-year licenses, while nine additional teams were awarded one-year participation spots. One remaining wildcard entry will be announced in the coming days to complete the 32-team field.
Italy leads all participating nations with five clubs: Dolomiti Energia Trento, Umana Reyer Venice, Bertram Tortona, Napoli Basket and Basketball Club Roma. Germany and Turkey each have four representatives.
The expansion also increases the overall footprint of Euroleague Basketball competitions. Combined with the 20-team EuroLeague, the organization will oversee 52 clubs across its two flagship competitions during the 2026-27 season.
The announcement comes after the conclusion of the 2025-26 EuroCup campaign, which saw French club JL Bourg defeat Besiktas in the Finals to capture the title. Several clubs that participated last season return, while a number of new organizations enter the competition through domestic league performance and wildcard selections.
The full list of confirmed teams for the 2026-27 BKT EuroCup is as follows:
Five-Year License Clubs
- Aris Thessaloniki Betsson (Greece)
- AS Monaco (Monaco)
- Bahcesehir College Istanbul (Turkey)
- Bertram Tortona (Italy)
- Besiktas Gain Istanbul (Turkey)
- Buducnost Voli Podgorica (Montenegro)
- Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia)
- Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (France)
- Dolomiti Energia Trento (Italy)
- Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem (Israel)
- La Laguna Tenerife (Spain)
- Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France)
- Lietkabelis Panevezys (Lithuania)
- London Lions (United Kingdom)
- Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania)
- Niners Chemnitz (Germany)
- PAOK BC Thessaloniki (Greece)
- Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
- Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany)
- Turk Telekom Ankara (Turkey)
- U-BT Cluj-Napoca (Romania)
- Umana Reyer Venice (Italy)
One-Year Participation Clubs
- Balkan Botevgrad (Bulgaria)
- Basketball Club Roma (Italy)
- Kids&Us Manresa (Spain)
- Napoli Basket (Italy)
- Riga Zelli (Latvia)
- Rostock Seawolves (Germany)
- Siauliai (Lithuania)
- Slask Wroclaw (Poland)
- Tofas Bursa (Turkey)
Wildcard
- To be announced
Euroleague Basketball stated that the final team list will undergo formal approval by the next ECA Board meeting before being submitted to the General Assembly for ratification. The identity of the final wildcard recipient, and any potential replacement should a EuroCup club receive a EuroLeague invitation, will be confirmed at a later date.
