EuroLeague Teams Reject NBA's Merger Proposal

On October 6, 2026, EuroLeague representatives gathered in Cernobbio, Italy, where 13 shareholder clubs, including Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Milan, ASVEL owned by Tony Parker, and two clubs from Istanbul, made the decision not to proceed with the proposal.

Barcelona confirmed the rejection in a statement, emphasizing that the meeting was held to align on strategic future plans for the league, although no specific mention was made of the NBA's offer. The statement included comments from Barcelona president Joan Laporta, highlighting the clubs' agreements on the competition’s future, including the decision to reject the merger proposal in its current form. The statement also noted that the clubs would reconsider if an amended proposal were presented in the future.

Details on how each club voted were not disclosed, and the EuroLeague opted not to provide further comments beyond their initial statement. The NBA did not respond to inquiries seeking clarification about their proposal.

The EuroLeague consists of 20 teams, with 13 shareholder clubs maintained as permanent members, while others qualify through their domestic leagues or invitations. Reports suggest that the NBA, in collaboration with FIBA, is aiming for a 16-team European league.

French newspaper L'Equipe reported that the NBA offered an investment of 400 million euros (approximately $448 million) for each prospective member. During the EuroLeague meeting, club owners also decided to transition existing 10-year licenses into franchises and to expand the number of franchises.

The NBA plans to launch the new European league in October 2027, anticipating significant entry fees, potentially around $500 million for franchises.

Despite ambitions for growth, many European teams are experiencing financial difficulties, often relying on wealthy owners to sustain them.