NBA Europe: No shortage of offers; format and official start date set

The NBA Europe project is more alive than ever; in fact, it’s beginning to take tangible shape, so much so that work is already underway on the format and official start date of the first, historic season.

As the deadline for submitting bids to join the NBA Europe project closed, there was great satisfaction among the NBA and FIBA boards: many cities have come forward, with some having more than one candidate. Astronomical sums are on the table, attesting to the program’s strength. Now we enter the second phase: evaluating the bids and determining which candidates best meet the requirements to join NBA Europe.

What is certain is that these 12 European cities—Rome, Milan, London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Athens, and Istanbul—will each have their own franchise in the NBA Europe project.

Barring any unexpected twists, the league will launch with 16 teams: 12 new ones (one for each participating city) and four from the FIBA Champions League. The plan is to kick off in October 2027 with a project that is becoming a reality. The EuroLeague is watching with concern. It remains to be seen whether an agreement will be reached between the parties, even though the NBA and FIBA have already decided to move forward, regardless of whether the EuroLeague is involved or not.