Por Redaccion The Board of Directors of the Basketball Champions League (BCL) ratified on Tuesday the list of 29 clubs with direct qualification for the regular season of the BCL 2025-26, as well as the 24 clubs that will compete in the Qualifying Rounds for the three remaining spots to complete the 32 teams that will ultimately make up the competition.
Unicaja will face its 5th participation in the competition defending the titles they have won in their last two editions: Belgrade 2024 and, most recently, Athens 2025. It will not be easy, as the list includes 16 national league champions, 8 of whom participate directly in the regular season. It is worth noting that out of the 29 teams already qualified for the regular phase, 10 are newcomers to the BCL.
While continental powerhouses like ALBA Berlin, Dreamland Gran Canaria, and Joventut Badalona bring extensive experience in European club competitions, others like Karditsa Iaponiki, Mersin Sports Club, MLP Academics Heidelberg, and Trapani Shark make their international debut due to exceptional performances in their respective national leagues. On the other hand, La Laguna Tenerife, along with AEK Betsson BC and Filou Oostende, continue as the only three clubs to have participated in all seasons of the Basketball Champions League.
Here are the first 29 teams of the regular season in alphabetical order (three more teams will come from the qualifying rounds). National champions are marked with an asterisk:
- AEK Betsson BC (Greece)
- ALBA Berlin (Germany)
- Bnei Penlink Herzliya (Israel)
- Cholet Basket (France)
- Dreamland Gran Canaria (Spain)
- ERA Nymburk* (Czech Republic)
- Filou Oostende* (Belgium)
- FIT/One Wurzburg Baskets (Germany)
- Galatasaray (Turkey)
- Hapoel Netanel Holon (Israel)
- Igokea m:tel* (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Joventut Badalona (Spain)
- Karditsa Iaponiki (Greece)
- La Laguna Tenerife (Spain)
- Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France)
- Mersin Sports Club (Turkey)
- MLP Academics Heidelberg (Germany)
- NHSZSzolnoki Olajbanyasz* (Hungary)
- Pallacanestro Trieste (Italy)
- Promitheas Patras Vikos Cola (Greece)
- Rytas Vilnius (Lithuania)
- Sabah BC* (Azerbaijan)
- SL Benfica* (Portugal)
- Spartak Office Shoes (Serbia)
- Tofas Bursa (Turkey)
- Trapani Shark (Italy)
- Unicaja (Spain)
- VEF Riga* (Latvia)
- The champion of Poland, to be determined between Start Lublin or Legia Warszawa
Eight other champions will participate in the qualifying rounds, from Denmark (Bakken Bears) to Cyprus (AEK Larnaca). There could be another champion, as SC Derby is in the final of the Montenegrin League. The 24 clubs competing in the qualifying rounds will be drawn into three tournaments, with the winner of each advancing to the regular phase.
Here are the 24 teams, alphabetically, with national champions marked with an asterisk: Osos Bakken* (Denmark); Bursaspor Basketbol (Turkey); CSM CSU Oradea (Romania); Élan Chalon (France); Falco Szombathely (Hungary); Canasta Olímpica de Friburgo (Switzerland); Heroes Den Bosch* (Netherlands); Juventus Utena (Lithuania); Kalev/Cramo* (Estonia); Karhu Basket Kauhajoki (Finland); Kutaisi 2010* (Georgia); Löwen Braunschweig (Germany); Pallacanestro Reggiana (Italy); PAOK mateco (Greece); Patrioti Levice* (Slovakia); Pelister Bitola (North Macedonia); Petrolina AEK Larnaca* (Cyprus); Oporto (Portugal); Deportista Rilski* (Bulgaria); SC Derby (Montenegro); Trepca* (Kosovo); UCAM Murcia (Spain); Windrose Giants Antwerp (Belgium); and the runners-up of the Polish League final.
The Qualifying Round tournaments will take place from September 23 to 28, while the regular phase will begin on October 7, 2025.
The draw ceremony for the regular phase groups and the Qualifying Round tournaments will be held in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Wednesday, July 2, and will be live-streamed on the BCL’s official YouTube channel.