NBA and FIBA Move Forward with Europe League Despite Rejection, ESPN Reports
- The NBA and FIBA are moving forward with plans for a 16-team NBA Europe league to start as early as 2027, despite EuroLeague team owners rejecting a formal...
- EuroLeague leadership met on the banks of Lake Como in Italy and voted to turn down a formal merger proposal presented by the NBA after nearly two years...
- The current EuroLeague structure operates with 20 teams for the 2025-26 season, including seven clubs that qualify through domestic leagues or via invitation.
The NBA and FIBA are moving forward with plans for a 16-team NBA Europe league to start as early as 2027, despite EuroLeague team owners rejecting a formal merger offer. NBA commissioner Adam Silver and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, who leads the European project, are actively managing the developing situation from Macao during the league’s China Games, ESPN reported.
EuroLeague Rejection of NBA Merger Offer Over Valuation Concerns
EuroLeague leadership met on the banks of Lake Como in Italy and voted to turn down a formal merger proposal presented by the NBA after nearly two years of development. EuroLeague team owners concluded that the NBA’s offer undervalued their competition. During those same meetings, EuroLeague officials discussed expanding the continental league beyond its current 13 license holders, a move sources described to ESPN as a counter-strategy designed to block the NBA from securing venues in key European cities and partnering with target clubs.
The current EuroLeague structure operates with 20 teams for the 2025-26 season, including seven clubs that qualify through domestic leagues or via invitation. That system traces back to 2001, when the EuroLeague formed after two rival leagues—one operated by FIBA—competed against each other for a single season. The current friction highlights growing tensions between the established European competition and North American basketball leadership after months of negotiations.
Expansion Interest Across Western Europe and Barcelona Openness
Despite the leadership vote at Lake Como, the NBA retains active pathways into the European market. The league has gathered expansion proposals for new franchises across Western Europe and drawn interest from existing clubs, maintaining its timeline for a 16-team launch by 2027. Multiple current EuroLeague members have held extensive talks with the NBA and show serious interest in joining the proposed NBA Europe venture.
Among those clubs, EuroLeague member Barcelona publicly stated that both the team and the league would remain open to considering an amended proposal from the NBA and FIBA. Meanwhile, Adam Silver and Mark Tatum continue meetings with Asian partners in Macao around Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks fixtures while keeping their primary focus on the European expansion strategy.
Negotiations Continue over EuroLeague Breakaway and Structure
Sources told ESPN that an open door for negotiations remains between the two sides despite the public back-and-forth. It remains unconfirmed which specific EuroLeague franchises beyond Barcelona are prepared to break away, exactly how domestic leagues will accommodate the planned 16-team setup, and whether FIBA and the NBA will submit a revised financial package to EuroLeague leadership.