Basketball: 13 Euroleague clubs studying the possibility of integrating Dubai Basketball Club (UAE)

The 13 clubs that own a permanent license (A license) to participate in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague will study, "during the second half of March", the possibility of integrating the "Dubai Basketball Club" (UAE) as the next franchise in the European basketball competition, according to Spanish media Mundo Deportivo and RAC1 on 05/03/2023.

The Emirati club founded by Abdullah All Nabbodah wants to receive a wild card to take part in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague from 2024-25 "and to enter as a full shareholder the following season". In exchange, the city of Dubai would contribute €150m over six seasons to Euroleague Basketball.

This integration would lead to a gradual expansion of the number of teams participating in the competition: from 18 clubs in 2023-24 (as in 2022-23), this total would rise to 20 in 2024-25, then to 22 in 2026-27 and finally to 24 teams from 2028-29.

"Dejan Kamenjasevic (BIH) and Djordje Djokovic (SRB), brother of tennis player Novak Djokovic, are managing much of the negotiations on behalf of Abdullah All Nabbodah, and the initiative has the backing of…