Basketball EuroLeague 2026/27: the start of the season and the first games
Kyiv • UNN
The 2026/27 EuroLeague season, featuring 20 teams, will start on September 24. Ukrainian player Maksym Shulha will play for Real Madrid, while Beşiktaş will return to the tournament.
On Thursday, September 24, the new 2026/27 EuroLeague basketball season will tip off, promising to be one of the most spectacular yet. UNN reports on the tournament's details, format and predictions.
Details
Fans can look forward to a revamped lineup of participants, including the return of "Beşiktaş," 380 intense regular-season games and Ukrainian Maksym Shulha playing for "Real Madrid."
EuroLeague: tournament format
The competition format remains the same as last season: 20 teams, each of which will play two games (home and away) in a round-robin tournament consisting of 38 regular-season rounds. After the regular season, the two final playoff berths will be determined in the "Play-In Showdown," followed by four playoff series played in a best-of-three format. The season will culminate in the 2027 EuroLeague "Final Four," where one team will be crowned champion.
One of the main changes in the new season is "Beşiktaş" participating in the tournament instead of "Monaco." The Turkish club will celebrate its return to the EuroLeague by hosting "Valencia Basket" in the opening game on Friday, September 25.
EuroLeague basketball: opening-round games
The season will begin on Thursday, September 24, with six games. Among the most interesting events, "Dubai Basketball" will host "Real Madrid," for whom Maksym Shulha plays, while "Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv" will begin its campaign at home against "Bayern" (Munich). "Barcelona" will host "Anadolu Efes" (Istanbul) in a clash of giants, while defending champion "Olympiacos" (Piraeus) will begin its title defense away against "Kosner Baskonia" (Vitoria-Gasteiz).
The opening program also includes games between "Crvena zvezda Meridianbet" (Belgrade) and "Žalgiris" (Kaunas), "ASVEL" (Villeurbanne) and "Maccabi Rapyd" (Tel Aviv), and "Panathinaikos" (Athens) and "Paris Basketball." The rest of the first-round games on Friday evening include "Fenerbahçe" (Istanbul) against "Virtus" (Bologna) and "Partizan Mozzart Bet" (Belgrade) against "Armani Olimpia" (Milan).
EuroLeague predictions: 2026/27 season schedule
The season's biggest rivalries are spread throughout the calendar. In Round 7, on October 22, there will be both the season's first Turkish derby, with "Anadolu Efes" facing "Beşiktaş," and the first Serbian derby between "Partizan" and "Crvena zvezda."
The first Israeli derby of the EuroLeague season will take place in Round 11, on November 12, when "Hapoel" and "Maccabi" meet.
The rematch of the 2026 championship final will take place in Round 13 on November 20, when "Olympiacos" hosts "Real Madrid." "El Clásico" will return in Round 15 on December 3, when "Barcelona" and "Real Madrid" renew their historic rivalry, while the Greek derby between "Panathinaikos" and "Olympiacos" will be the main game of Round 16 on December 11.
The regular season will begin on Thursday, September 24, and end on Friday, April 16, after the completion of Round 38. The standings will determine which six teams advance directly to the playoffs and which four teams will compete in the "Play-In Showdown."
The "play-in" games are scheduled for April 20 and 23. The best-of-three playoff series will run from April 27 to May 12, after which the "Final Four" will take place. The semifinals will be held on May 28, and the final on May 30.
With 20 teams and 38 rounds, fans can expect 380 regular-season games before the playoffs even begin. Another unforgettable EuroLeague journey awaits, with every game carrying great significance as teams battle for a place in the "Final Four" and the chance to lift the most prestigious trophy in European basketball.