EuroLeague Basketball is preparing to usher in a new franchise era that could reshape the landscape of European club basketball and deliver a substantial financial windfall to its founding members.
According to Spanish outlet 2Playbook, the continent’s premier basketball competition is working on a two-phase expansion strategy that would increase the number of participating teams from 20 to as many as 30 over the coming years.
In the first phase, EuroLeague plans to expand to 24 teams for the 2027-28 season by adding between six and eight new franchises. A second phase could see the competition grow further to 30 teams as early as 2028 or 2029.
The initial expansion round is expected to generate approximately €400 million through franchise entry fees. The proceeds would translate into payouts of more than €30 million for each of the league’s 13 founding clubs, including Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Baskonia.
The cost of securing one of the new franchises will vary depending on the market and applicant. Entry fees are expected to range from €50 million to €90 million.
Valencia Basket is reportedly positioned to pay the lowest fee, around €50 million, due to the strength of its sporting project and the opening of the state-of-the-art Roig Arena. According to previous reports by Las Provincias, cities such as London, Berlin and Rome would be required to pay around €80 million for a franchise slot, while clubs such as Hapoel Tel Aviv would face an entry fee of approximately €75 million.
The EuroLeague’s board of shareholders recently confirmed that it has received expressions of interest from clubs, investment groups and cities including London, Rome and Berlin regarding the new franchise opportunities.
The board also approved the renewal of long-term licenses for ASVEL Villeurbanne and Fenerbahçe, while negotiations continue with Real Madrid, the only licensed club yet to finalize its renewal.
League officials remain optimistic that Real Madrid will remain part of the competition. However, should the Spanish giants decide against renewing, they would forfeit the more than €30 million distribution earmarked for founding clubs, lose access to future league revenue distributions and surrender the right to transition into the franchise system without paying an entry fee.
The consequences could extend beyond direct league payments. Participation in a lower-tier competition such as the Basketball Champions League would likely reduce the club’s revenues from ticketing, sponsorship and merchandise sales.
Meanwhile, discussions involving EuroLeague, the NBA and FIBA over the future structure of European club basketball continue behind the scenes.
Representatives from the three organizations held another meeting this week in Geneva, Switzerland, although no major developments emerged from the talks.
EuroLeague reiterated its willingness to maintain an open dialogue with the NBA regarding the proposed NBA Europe project. NBA commissioner Adam Silver previously stated in March that the door remains open for a potential merger or partnership with Europe’s leading club competition.
If implemented, EuroLeague’s franchise model would represent the most significant structural transformation in the competition’s modern history, strengthening its financial foundations while potentially redefining the future of professional basketball in Europe.