SAMOKOV (Bulgaria) - We know you've already set your alarms for October 6, when the tip-off of Season 11 of the Basketball Champions League, powered by Ameresco SUNEL is scheduled to take place. In case you're wondering, you did the right thing.
But there's another appointment you shouldn't miss before the start of the Regular Season, as two more teams are set to join the already-qualified 30 teams to complete the full lineup in Season 11.
From September 14-20, all eyes will be in Samokov, as the Basketball Champions League Qualification Round Tournaments come back to Bulgaria for another exciting week of action on the road to the Group Stage.
National champions, players ready to make statements, and teams eager to impress fans all around Europe will be competing to join the party as another BCL Season approaches.
Here's everything you need to know about the BCL Qualification Round Tournaments in Samokov.
Qualification Round Tournament 1: Who's been in the BCL before?
The Qualification Round Tournament 1 will feature eight national champions and finalists from countries not represented in the Regular Season.
Patrioti Levice (Slovakia), Salon Vilpas (Finland), Bakken Bears Aarhus (Denmark), Landstede Hammers (Netherlands), Fribourg Olympic Basket (Switzerland), BC Batumi 2010 (Georgia), CSM CSU Raiffeisen Oradea (Romania), and Petrolina AEK Larnaca (Cyprus) will all compete in the QRT1.
Out of these eight, four teams can count on previous BCL experience: Bakken Bears Aarhus made three appearances (2016-17, 2020-21, 2022-23), while CSM CSU Raiffeisen Oradea (2016-17), Fribourg Olympic Basket (2018-19), and Patrioti Levice (2025-26) all participated once in the competition.
The Slovakian champions will try to emulate their unforgettable run in the BCL Qualification Round Tournaments to get into Season X, when they beat AEK Larnaca, Kalev/Cramo, and Bakken Bears for a spot in their first-ever BCL Regular Season campaign back in September 2025, thanks to a double OT buzzer beater by Will Carius.
The Danish team, instead, beat FMP Meridian in the Final of Qualification Group D in Belgrade, qualifying for the 2022-23 BCL Regular Season. Previously, they won the 2020-21 Qualifying Tournament against the Belgian side Belfius Mons-Hainaut.
Here's the schedule for the BCL Qualification Tournament 1:
Quarter-Finals (September 16) 13:15 CET - QF1: Patrioti Levice (SVK) vs. Salon Vilpas (FIN) 15:30 CET - QF2: Bakken Bears Aarhus (DEN) vs. Landstede Hammers (NED) 17:45 CET - QF3: Fribourg Olympic Basket (SUI) vs. BC Batumi 2010 (GEO) 20:00 CET - QF4: CSM CSU Raiffeisen Oradea (ROU) vs. Petrolina AEK Larnaca (CYP)
Semi-Finals (September 18) 17:00 CET - SF1: QF1 winner vs. QF2 winner 19:30 CET - SF2: QF3 winner vs. QF4 winner
The QRT1 Final is set for September 20 at 17:00 CET, with the winner joining AEK BC, Falco KC Szombathely, and Windrose Giants Antwerp in Group C of the Regular Season.
Qualification Round Tournament 2: Who's been in the BCL before?
The Qualification Round Tournament 2 will be more challenging in terms of the number of teams competing: Rilski Sportist, the hosts of the event, will participate alongside 15 other teams.
These will be the 16 teams competing in QRT2: VEF Riga (Latvia), Landau Lions (Azerbaijan), BK Opava (Czechia), Dziki Warszawa (Poland), Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets (Germany), Manchester Basketball (Great Britain), Rio Breogan Lugo (Spain), Rilski Sportist (Bulgaria), Promitheas Patras BC (Greece), BC Vienna (Austria), Biotekno Korfez Basket (Türkiye), Kolossos H Hotels (Greece), SL Benfica (Portugal), Lions de Geneve (SUI), RASTA Vechta (Germany), and Yukatel Denizli Basket (Türkiye).
Among them, nine have spent previous seasons in the BCL Regular Season: Riga in seven campaigns, Promitheas and Benfica four times each, Opava, Wurzburg and Vechta twice each, Breogan, Manisa (Biotekno Korfez Basket) and Kolossos once each.
Benfica have already won at BCL Qualifying Tournaments in 2022-23, getting over Brose Bamberg; in 2023-24, when they took down the Norrköping Dolphins from Sweden; and in 2024-25, when they beat Fribourg Olympic.
Here's the schedule for the BCL Qualification Tournament 2:
Round of 16 (September 14) 13:15 CET - R16 1: VEF Riga (LAT) vs. Landau Lions (AZE) 15:30 CET -R16 2: BK Opava (CZE) vs. Dziki Warszawa (POL) 17:45 CET - R16 3: Rio Breogan Lugo (ESP) vs. Rilski Sportist (BUL) 20:00 CET - R16 4: Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets (GER) vs. Manchester Basketball (GBR)
Round of 16 (September 15) 13:15 CET - R16 5: Promitheas Patras BC (GRE) vs. BC Vienna (AUT) 15:30 CET - R16 6: Glint Manisa Basket (TUR) vs. Kolossos H Hotels (GRE) 17:45 CET - R16 7: SL Benfica (POR) vs. Lions de Geneve (SUI) 20:00 CET - R16 8: RASTA Vechta (GER) vs. Yukatel Denizli Basket (TUR)
Quarter-Finals (September 17) 13:15 CET - QF1: Winner R16 1 vs. Winner R16 2 15:30 CET - QF2: Winner R16 3 vs. Winner R16 4 17:45 CET - QF3: Winner R16 5 vs. Winner R16 6 20:00 CET - QF4: Winner R16 7 vs. Winner R16 8
Semi-Finals (September 19) 17:00 CET - SF1: QF1 winner vs. QF2 winner 19:30 CET - SF2: QF3 winner vs. QF4 winner
The QRT2 Final is set for September 20 at 19:30 CET, with the winner joining Hapoel Holon, Cholet Basket, and Spartak Office Shoes in Group F of the Regular Season.
Where to watch the 2026-27 BCL Qualification Round Tournaments
All the games will be live on YouTube, with the playlist available on this link. Geo-restrictions may apply.