NBA Europe’s $10bn plan has football clubs queueing to join
Some of the biggest clubs in Europe will bid for a franchise in the league, now due to launch in 2028 ‘We’ve got people who don’t own any basketball franchise, but they want to get into basketball’ 9 Oct 2026 - The Guardian Matt Hughes The launch of NBA Europe will be delayed 12 months until 2028, with a pre-qualifying competition planned for next year to find four temporary members to join the 16-team league’s inaugural season alongside 12 permanent franchises. The NBA is planning to invest about $10bn (£7.6bn) over 10 years in what sources have described as the sporting world’s biggest-ever startup competition. It is understood to have received multiple offers for the 12 franchises that exceed their targets, with prices expected to range from $500m to more than $1bn for the London franchise. Many of the winning bids are expected to come from the owners of football clubs that compete in the Champions League, with the deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, holding talks with senior...