Valencia Basket secures a fixed spot in the expanded 24-team EuroLeague
Valencia Basket is emerging as one of the six new franchises with permanent licenses in the EuroLeague, expanded to 24 teams starting from the 2027-28 season, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. Approval from the shareholders is expected by the end of November.
The orange club is poised to achieve a historic milestone in its continental trajectory. Valencia Basket would thus join Real Madrid, Barça, and Baskonia, consolidating Spanish presence in the shareholding structure of the top European basketball competition. This incorporation would represent a radical change in the participation model of the team from the Region of Murcia, which currently competes in the Euroliga without a guaranteed fixed seat.
Six new franchises and a renewed structure
Together with Valencia, five other entities would enter as new permanent franchises in this expansion. The Italian newspaper mentions Paris Basketball, Dubai Basketball, Maxima Roma, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and PAOK of Thessaloniki as candidates for those seats in the revamped competition. Each of these organizations would have to pay an entry fee ranging from 50 to 90 million euros to obtain the same status as the current shareholders.
The proposal is not yet official. The shareholder clubs must ratify it in a meeting scheduled for late November, at which time the final decision regarding this restructuring will be known. Until then, the project maintains its status as a project under evaluation, although sources consulted by the specialized press suggest a likely approval.
Temporary invitations and a second phase of expansion
The expansion model is not limited solely to the six new franchises. The structure also includes four invitations lasting three years for Partizan, Estrella Roja, Virtus Bologna, and Naples. These clubs, while not immediately obtaining a permanent license, would gain a privileged position in future expansion calls.
In fact, a second phase is planned for 2030 that would expand the Euroliga to 28 teams. Clubs receiving invitations in this first wave would have priority to apply for new permanent licenses in that next round of expansion. Additionally, two extra spots would be reserved for teams coming from the Eurocup, maintaining a competitive promotion channel from the second continental tier.
The new competition format
With 24 teams, the Euroliga would undergo a transformation in its competitive structure. The competition would be divided into two conferences of twelve teams each, aiming to balance the schedule and reduce intercontinental travel. Despite this reorganization, the number of matchdays would remain at 38, as it currently functions, without the need to add more games to the regular season.
This format change responds to the need to adapt the competition to the growth of European basketball and global competition. The conference structure would facilitate a more efficient distribution of matches and allow for greater geographical proximity in matchups, which is particularly relevant for teams located in peripheral areas of Europe.
The path of Valencia towards permanence
Valencia Basket is already competing in the Euroliga this season, but without the security of a fixed spot. The club submitted its official candidacy for a permanent license in August, at a time of maximum tension between the Euroliga and the NBA project in Europe, which is scheduled for launch in October 2027. This candidacy has been favorably considered by the decisive bodies of the competition.
The inclusion of Valencia in this list of six new franchises signifies the recognition of the club's importance in the Spanish and European basketball landscape. The orange team has demonstrated its competitive capacity at the highest continental level, earning a place among the organizations with the greatest future projection in European sports.
In sporting terms, Valencia finds itself in an interesting competitive position. The team is pursuing one of the main candidates of this season alongside five other clubs, demonstrating its ability to compete at the highest level. With upcoming matches against significant rivals, the orange team seeks to maintain its upward trajectory and consolidate its presence in the continental elite.
The confirmation of this permanent spot, once ratified in the shareholders' meeting at the end of November, would mark a turning point in the club's history. It would transition from being an annual invitee to becoming part of the fixed structure of the Euroliga, guaranteeing its presence in the competition for the upcoming seasons and allowing for much more solid long-term planning.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Valencia Basket logra plaza fija en Euroliga ampliada a 24
