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

UAE to welcome the elite of European game as club takes huge step forward just 12 months after being founded

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

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.

Awudu Abass of Dubai Basketball scored from his own half at the end of the first quarter in the opening game of the ABA League against Red Star of Serbia at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Sunday, September 22, 2024. All images Chris Whiteoak / The National

Nate Mason of Dubai Basketball scores at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai

Dubai Basketball defeated Red Star of Serbia 86-84

JaCorey Williams of Dubai Basketball during the ABA League match against Red Star

Jurica Golemac, head coach of Dubai Basketball, speaks with captain Klemen Prepelic

Dubai Basketball defeated Red Star in a tense clash in the ABA League

Dejan Kamenjasevic, general manager and co-founder of Dubai Basketball, celebrates with players at the Coca-Cola Arena

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.