NBA Europe Delayed to 2028 With 16 Teams, $1B Bids for London
The NBA's new European league will not tip off until 2028, a 12-month delay to a plan that was previously aimed at October 2027.
The league, developed with FIBA, world basketball's governing body, is now set for a 16-team first season. Twelve clubs will hold permanent spots as franchises, which in this context means long-term memberships bought into the league. Four more will earn temporary places through play on the court. The Guardian
The price of admission is steep. The NBA is planning to put about $10 billion into the project over 10 years, and it has already received multiple offers for the 12 permanent spots that beat its own targets. Franchise fees are expected to run from $500 million to more than $1 billion for London, the most prized market.
London tells the story. Three bids topped $1 billion: one from Todd Boehly, one from a group involving former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and MSP Sports Capital, and one from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Permanent franchises are also earmarked for Manchester, Rome, Athens, Istanbul and Lyon.
Manchester has its own headline bidder. Buss Sports Capital, which sold its 17.8% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Joshua Kushner earlier in 2026, has submitted an offer for that spot. City Football Group, owner of Manchester City among other clubs, has not bid.
The basketball court is only part of the pitch. NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum has held talks with senior executives from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Milan. The NBA hopes to name the new owners later in 2026, and it has also agreed a $300 million partnership that includes a new global academy in Abu Dhabi.
For teams outside the permanent 12, there will be a way in. The NBA plans a pre-qualifying competition next year to find the four temporary members for season one. That keeps the door open for clubs that do not buy a franchise at the start.
Not everyone is ready to join. EuroLeague clubs, who run Europe's current top club competition, voted at a meeting in Lake Como to reject the NBA's initial investment offer. Instead they backed expanding their own league from 20 to 24 clubs. The NBA has said it intends to launch in Europe whether or not it reaches an agreement with the EuroLeague. Reuters
Fans in Europe will still see NBA action before 2028. The Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic will play twice in Europe in 2026 as part of a three-year slate of games on the continent. NBA Regular-season games are then scheduled for Manchester and Paris in 2027, followed by Berlin and Paris in 2028.
What makes this stand out is the scale. A $1 billion tag for one team, soccer giants in the room, and a qualifying tournament for the last four chairs. The buzzer-beater will have to wait until 2028.
