Fenerbahce Women Crowned FIBA EuroLeague Champions

Fenerbahçe Beko has been crowned champions of the 2025-26 FIBA EuroLeague Women season, securing the club’s first-ever title in the competition after defeating Valencia Basket 78-72 in the final held on April 19, 2026, at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas, Lithuania.

The victory marks a historic milestone for Turkish women’s basketball, as Fenerbahçe becomes the first club from Turkey to win the FIBA EuroLeague Women trophy. The team, guided by head coach Marina Maljković, clinched the title with a balanced performance, overcoming a slow start to outscore Valencia in the second half and seal the win in the final minutes.

Fenerbahçe entered the final as slight underdogs despite finishing atop the regular season standings with a 24-4 record. Valencia, a three-time EuroLeague champion, had defeated Fenerbahçe in both regular-season meetings and entered the game aiming to reclaim continental supremacy. However, the Turkish side adjusted defensively after halftime, holding Valencia to just 28 points in the second half after allowing 44 in the first two quarters.

American guard Courtney Vandersloot led Fenerbahçe with 19 points, six assists, and four rebounds, earning Final Four MVP honors. Her poise in the closing stretch, including two key free throws with under 30 seconds remaining, proved vital. Serbian forward Tina Krajišnik contributed a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Belgian guard Emma Meesseman added 16 points and five steals, disrupting Valencia’s rhythm throughout the contest.

On the losing side, Valencia’s star guard Queralt Casas scored 18 points but shot just 6-of-18 from the field. Spanish forward Astou Ndour finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, but Valencia struggled to generate consistent offense after the break, shooting only 32% in the second half. Head coach Rubén Burgos acknowledged his team’s inability to maintain intensity, stating in a post-game press conference that Fenerbahçe “executed better when it mattered most.”

The triumph caps a transformative season for Fenerbahçe, which invested heavily in its women’s program over the past two years. The club brought in Vandersloot, Meesseman, and Krajišnik ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, forming a veteran-laden core aimed at ending years of near-misses in EuroLeague play. Prior to this season, Fenerbahçe had reached the EuroLeague Final Four three times since 2019 but had never advanced to the championship game.

With the EuroLeague title, Fenerbahçe now holds a rare double, having also won the Turkish Women’s Basketball League (TKBL) championship earlier in April 2026. The domestic crown, secured with a 3-0 sweep over Galatasaray in the finals, gave the team momentum heading into the Final Four. Maljković, in her third season with the club, credited the roster’s depth and mental resilience for overcoming adversity throughout the playoffs.

FIBA officials confirmed that Fenerbahçe’s victory qualifies the team for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Continental Cup, where they will face champions from other continental leagues later in the year. The club’s success is also expected to boost investment and visibility for women’s basketball in Turkey, where the men’s Fenerbahçe basketball team remains a EuroLeague powerhouse but the women’s side had historically lagged in resources and support.

Looking ahead, Fenerbahçe has expressed intent to retain its core roster for the 2026-27 season, with contract discussions reportedly underway for Vandersloot and Meesseman, both of whom have player options for next year. The club aims to defend its EuroLeague title while continuing to compete domestically and in international friendlies. For now, the focus remains on celebrating a landmark achievement that has been years in the making.