MIES (Switzerland) - The Basketball Champions League Board ratified on Thursday the list of 30 clubs with a direct berth in the 2026-27 BCL Regular Season, powered by Ameresco SUNEL, as well as the 24 clubs that will compete in the Qualification Round tournaments for the remaining two tickets to the 32-team Regular Season.
A total number of 61 clubs applied for the Basketball Champions League, powered by Ameresco SUNEL at the deadline on June 19.
The complete lineup for Season 11 features 16 national league champions, nine of which are in the Regular Season: ALBA BERLIN (Germany), Spartak Office Shoes (Serbia), ERA Nymburk (Czechia), Cibona (Croatia), Windrose Giants Antwerp (Belgium), Falco KC Szombathely (Hungary), FC Porto (Portugal), Legia Warszawa (Poland), and Sabah BC (Azerbaijan).
Out of the 30 teams entering the Regular Season directly, three are newcomers to the BCL: BK KVIS Pardubice, Trabzonspor and FC Porto.
Following successful domestic campaigns, former champions Telekom Baskets Bonn are making their return to the BCL, with former Final Four teams BMA365 Bamberg Baskets, Peristeri betsson, SIG Strasbourg, UCAM Murcia and Windrose Giants Antwerp also back in the Regular Season draw.
Other notable returnees to the BCL include the Croatian champions Cibona, back after participating in this competition in Season 1, same as the Italian powerhouse Pallacanestro Varese, while the Lithuanian League finalists Juventus Utena played in Seasons 1 and 2.
Back-to-back FIBA Europe Cup champions Surne Bilbao also made the Regular Season, having last participated in this event in 2022-23.
AEK BC are the only remaining club to participate across all 11 BCL seasons so far.
These are the first 30 teams in the Regular Season lineup (two more teams will emerge from the Qualification Round tournaments), the national champions marked with an asterisk:
Rytas Vilnius (LTU, defending BCL champions); Asisa Joventut (ESP); UCAM Murcia (ESP); Surne Bilbao (ESP); Unicaja (ESP); ALBA BERLIN* (GER); BMA365 Bamberg Baskets (GER); Telekom Baskets Bonn (GER); Juventus Utena (LTU); Nanterre 92 (FRA); Cholet Basket (FRA); SIG Strasbourg (FRA); AEK BC (GRE); Peristeri Betsson (GRE); Trabzonspor (TUR); Galatasaray MCT Technic (TUR); ERA Nymburk* (CZE); BK KVIS Pardubice (CZE); Spartak Office Shoes* (SRB); Cibona* (CRO); Legia Warszawa* (POL); Pallacanestro Reggiana (ITA); Pallacanestro Varese (ITA); Igokea m:tel (BIH); Bnei Penlink Herzliya (ISR); Hapoel Holon (ISR); Sabah BC* (AZE); Falco KC Szombathely* (HUN); Windrose Giants Antwerp* (BEL); and FC Porto* (POR).
Further seven champions are in the Qualification Rounds, ranging from Denmark (Bakken Bears) to Cyprus (Petrolina AEK Larnaca).
The 24 clubs that will compete in the Qualification Round will be drawn into two tournaments, with the winner of each tournament advancing to the Regular Season.
One tournament will feature the eight champions and finalists from countries not in the Regular Season (Country Representation 1), while the other will see 16 next best ranked clubs (Country Representation 2):
Country Representation 1:
BC Batumi 2010 (GEO); Bakken Bears Aarhus (DEN); CSM CSU Raiffeisen Oradea (ROU); Fribourg Olympic Basket (SUI); Landstede Hammers (NED); Patrioti Levice (SVK); Petrolina AEK Larnaca (CYP) and Salon Vilpas (FIN).
Country Representation 2:
BC Vienna (AUT); BK Opava (CZE); Dziki Warszawa (POL); Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets (GER); Lions de Geneve (SUI); Manisa Basket (TUR); Kolossos H Hotels BC (GRE); Landau Lions (AZE); Manchester Basketball (GBR); Promitheas Patras BC (GRE); Rilski Sportist (BUL); Rio Breogan (ESP); SL Benfica (POR); RASTA Vechta (GER); VEF Riga (LAT) and Denizli Basket (TUR).
The Qualification Round tournaments will take place from September 14 to 20, while the Regular Season will get underway on October 6, 2026.
The draw ceremony for the Regular Season groups and the Qualification Round tournaments will take place at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland on Wednesday, July 8, and will be livestreamed on the official BCL YouTube channel.
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