Dubai Basketball are joining the EuroLeague. Photo: ABA League/Dubai Basketball
Dubai Basketball are joining the EuroLeague. Photo: ABA League/Dubai Basketball
Dubai Basketball are joining the EuroLeague. Photo: ABA League/Dubai Basketball
Dubai Basketball are joining the EuroLeague. Photo: ABA League/Dubai Basketball

Dubai Basketball to join EuroLeague as 'dream becomes a reality'


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai Basketball will join the EuroLeague on a five-year contract from September 2025, just a year after being founded.

The competition, regarded as one of the toughest basketball leagues in the world, announced its expansion from 18 to 20 teams in late May.

Dubai Basketball has now been confirmed as one of the two new teams to secure a slot to play in the 2025/26 EuroLeague season.

In a stellar debut campaign in the ABA League – where the team reached the play-off semi-finals before being halted by Partizan – Dubai Basketball showed the huge potential for the sport in the emirate.

Not only did they excel on the court, they made the Coca-Cola Arena their home, attracting crowds in excess of 5,000 fans.

“I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the leadership of Dubai and the Dubai Sports Council for their unwavering support,” Abdulla Saeed Juma Al Naboodah, chairman and Founder of Dubai Basketball, said.

“Their vision and commitment have been instrumental in making the success of Dubai Basketball possible.”

The team, under the stewardship of head coach Jurica Golemac, will now take a huge step forward in a competition boasting the elite of European basketball.

The move also deepens the UAE's ties with the EuroLeague, with the 2025 finals having been staged at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi in May.

Istanbul giants Fenerbahce were crowned champions in front of a sold out arena on Yas Island.

As well as Fenerbahce, Dubai Basketball will face the likes of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Panathinaikos and Olympiacos as the club brings top-tier European basketball to Coca-Cola Arena from September 2025 to June 2026.

Co-Chief Executive Officer Dejan Kamenjasevic said this latest step follows years of hard work to get the project off the ground.

“Dubai Basketball is not an instant project – it has taken us years to reach the point we are in today,” he said.

“But it brings me great pride to say that this team is an instant success [on the court]. Credit goes to our coaches, players and all Dubai Basketball employees who worked hard to convert this dream to a reality.

“Now, with EuroLeague ahead, we have even more to show. We’re building something this city has never seen before, and we’re excited to make history while growing the Dubai Basketball family.”

In just their first season, Dubai Basketball attracted a total of nearly 80,000 fans to Coca-Cola Arena, paving the way for a new era for the sport in the emirate.

That fan base is expected to grow next season, with the team's home arena boasting a capacity of 15,000 in its basketball format.

Fans can register to attend 2025/26 season games through the Coca-Cola Arena website, with full season passes available in July.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sukuk

An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

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Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face

The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.

The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran. 

Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf. 

"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said. 

Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer. 

The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy. 

 

The Gentlemen

Director: Guy Ritchie

Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant 

Three out of five stars

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 630bhp

Torque: 900Nm

Price: Dh810,000

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Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

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Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649

iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179

Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

FA CUP FINAL

Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')

Watford 0

Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

Updated: June 22, 2025, 8:53 AM