The NBA ’s global ambitions are inching closer to reality, as officials confirmed that the league’s long-planned European branch could tip off as early as October 2027. The new venture, developed in partnership with FIBA, is expected to feature some of the continent’s biggest basketball markets and potentially reshape the sport’s global structure. Though details remain under discussion, league executives have made significant progress in mapping out logistics, funding, and competitive structure.
The project, which has been in development for years, envisions a 16-team league made up of 12 permanent franchises and four qualifying clubs determined by their domestic or FIBA performances. Targeted host cities include London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Berlin, Athens, and Istanbul— locations rich in basketball heritage and commercial appeal. While no formal agreements have been announced, the groundwork for this transcontinental league appears stronger than ever.
NBA Europe’s 2027 target: “a semi-opening” season
NBA Europe managing director George Aivazoglou revealed at a conference in Milan that the initial rollout may be considered “a semi-opening,” meaning the league could launch with fewer than 16 confirmed franchises. “We’re well underway in our approach and engagement with the market,” Aivazoglou said. “We’re having serious discussions with respect to investors.”
Aivazoglou noted that one of the league’s most compelling features would be its qualification model. “That possible element — having teams qualify through their domestic league finishes — is probably the most exciting part of the plan, because we all know that the domestic leagues today are not necessarily what they had been 20 or 30 years ago,” he explained.
The NBA’s collaboration with FIBA has fast-tracked planning, with JPMorgan Chase and Raine Group advising on financial and strategic operations.
Adam Silver on Europe expansion
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reinforced the league’s commitment to launching within the next few years, calling the 2027 timeline “ambitious, no doubt about it.” While acknowledging logistical challenges, he added, “I don’t think I’d want to go much longer than ’28. The opportunity is now to do something like this.”
Silver previously suggested that aligning the league’s debut with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics could enhance its visibility. He also pointed out that existing European arenas could host early games until new facilities are developed.
“I think our basketball people now are very engaged in how the competition will work,” Silver said in September. “Our lawyers are thinking hard of how we can take a system that’s now known to U.S. sports as sort of a cap-based system and a revenue-sharing system with players and how we can apply that in a European framework. Nothing is easy here… but the response has been tremendous.”
The league’s creation shows basketball’s explosive growth across Europe. About one in six NBA players now comes from the continent, including Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, and Victor Wembanyama— stars who’ve dominated MVP conversations in recent years.
Also Read: Why did Megan Thee Stallion skip 2025 Grammys? Reasons explored as Klay Thompson's alleged clash with Dallas Mavericks brought her into limelight
The project, which has been in development for years, envisions a 16-team league made up of 12 permanent franchises and four qualifying clubs determined by their domestic or FIBA performances. Targeted host cities include London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Berlin, Athens, and Istanbul— locations rich in basketball heritage and commercial appeal. While no formal agreements have been announced, the groundwork for this transcontinental league appears stronger than ever.
NBA Europe’s 2027 target: “a semi-opening” season
NBA Europe managing director George Aivazoglou revealed at a conference in Milan that the initial rollout may be considered “a semi-opening,” meaning the league could launch with fewer than 16 confirmed franchises. “We’re well underway in our approach and engagement with the market,” Aivazoglou said. “We’re having serious discussions with respect to investors.”
Aivazoglou noted that one of the league’s most compelling features would be its qualification model. “That possible element — having teams qualify through their domestic league finishes — is probably the most exciting part of the plan, because we all know that the domestic leagues today are not necessarily what they had been 20 or 30 years ago,” he explained.
The NBA’s collaboration with FIBA has fast-tracked planning, with JPMorgan Chase and Raine Group advising on financial and strategic operations.
Adam Silver on Europe expansion
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reinforced the league’s commitment to launching within the next few years, calling the 2027 timeline “ambitious, no doubt about it.” While acknowledging logistical challenges, he added, “I don’t think I’d want to go much longer than ’28. The opportunity is now to do something like this.”
Silver previously suggested that aligning the league’s debut with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics could enhance its visibility. He also pointed out that existing European arenas could host early games until new facilities are developed.
“I think our basketball people now are very engaged in how the competition will work,” Silver said in September. “Our lawyers are thinking hard of how we can take a system that’s now known to U.S. sports as sort of a cap-based system and a revenue-sharing system with players and how we can apply that in a European framework. Nothing is easy here… but the response has been tremendous.”
The league’s creation shows basketball’s explosive growth across Europe. About one in six NBA players now comes from the continent, including Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, and Victor Wembanyama— stars who’ve dominated MVP conversations in recent years.
Also Read: Why did Megan Thee Stallion skip 2025 Grammys? Reasons explored as Klay Thompson's alleged clash with Dallas Mavericks brought her into limelight
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