London Lions secure EuroCup place with multi-year Euroleague deal
London Lions have secured their place in the BKT EuroCup for 2026-27 after agreeing a three-plus-two year deal with Euroleague Basketball.
The agreement gives the Lions a multi-year licence in one of European basketball’s leading club competitions, with the deal potentially running for five seasons.
It also represents a significant statement on the club’s European direction. At this stage, the commitment aligns London with Euroleague Basketball rather than the proposed NBA Europe project, unless a wider agreement is reached between the NBA and Euroleague Basketball.
The Lions are set to be part of an expanded 32-team BKT EuroCup field, following approval of the competition’s new format by the Euroleague Commercial Assets Board.
Euroleague Basketball confirmed this week the EuroCup expansion had been approved, with the competition moving to four groups of eight teams from the 2026-27 season.
Sixteen teams will advance to the postseason under the new structure, with Eighthfinals, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals each played as best-of-three series.
London earned their place after completing a dominant domestic campaign, sweeping the SLB Playoff title, SLB Championship, SLB Cup and SLB Trophy in 2025-26.
The 2026-27 season will mark the club’s fourth campaign in the BKT EuroCup.
The Lions first entered the competition in 2022-23 before making British basketball history the following season, becoming the first British club to reach the EuroCup Semifinals in 2023-24.
After returning to the competition last season, where they failed the make the playoffs, the new multi-year agreement gives London a platform to plan longer-term around regular continental competition.
The expanded EuroCup field is expected to feature clubs from 16 different countries and territories, with Euroleague Basketball competitions set to include 52 teams in total across 2026-27 — 20 in the EuroLeague and 32 in the EuroCup.
London will learn their group and fixture details in due course, with the full list of participating teams still to be ratified by the Euroleague Basketball General Assembly ahead of the new season.
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