A New Chapter for European Club Basketball
The Basketball Champions League is set to begin its 11th edition with a record 54 clubs entering the competition, a milestone that underscores the league's growing popularity across Europe.
Thirty of those teams have earned direct entry to the Regular Season, while the remaining 24 will battle for the final spots through a series of Qualification Round Tournaments.
The draw that determines group composition and tournament brackets will be streamed live on the league’s official YouTube channel, giving fans worldwide a front‑row view of the pairings as they are revealed.
Qualification Round Tournaments are scheduled to run from September 14 to 20, 2026, after which the winners will secure their places in the Regular Season.
The Regular Season is set to tip off on October 6, 2026, featuring eight groups of four clubs each, with a structure designed to balance competitive fairness and geographic considerations.
To preserve competitive integrity, the league will apply country protection, ensuring that no two clubs from the same national federation meet within the same group during the draw.
Teams are seeded into four pots based on a combination of BCL Club Rankings and BCL Country Rankings, influencing their placement and the difficulty of their groups.
Ultimately, the two winners of the Qualification Round Tournaments will advance to the Regular Season, adding an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming schedule.