NBA Moves Closer to Launching European League, Targeting Fall 2027

The National Basketball Association is forging ahead with plans to establish a professional league in Europe, with Commissioner Adam Silver confirming that the target launch window remains autumn 2027. Silver spoke after the league's Board of Governors meeting in Las Vegas on Tuesday, outlining significant progress in what would be the NBA's most ambitious international expansion since the league's formation.

Silver revealed that he and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum plan to meet with multiple prospective ownership groups during the FIFA World Cup final weekend in the New York area, capitalising on the convergence of global sports stakeholders. "We've had tremendous interest from multiple cities in Europe, including cities that we didn't ask for bids from," Silver said. "And we discussed with our board today that we're in the process of finalizing those bids for an initial group of cities."

The NBA and FIBA, basketball's global governing body, announced their joint intention to explore a new European league last year, ending years of speculation over whether the league would establish a formal presence on the continent. The NBA has long sought to capitalise on Europe's passionate basketball culture and growing commercial market, with existing exhibition games and the NBA Global Academy serving as precursors to a fully operational league.

While Silver declined to specify which cities are under consideration, reports have linked major European basketball markets — including London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, and Milan — to the project. The league is expected to feature between 8 and 16 teams, blending existing European clubs with newly established franchises backed by NBA-affiliated ownership groups.

The European league project represents a significant shift in the NBA's international strategy. Rather than simply exporting NBA games to Europe through exhibitions or regular-season fixtures, the league aims to create a self-sustaining competition that develops local talent while generating new revenue streams. The initiative also complements the NBA's broader global ambitions, which include potential expansion to Seattle and Las Vegas — a decision Silver hopes to finalise by the end of 2026.

"We're in the process of finalizing those bids for an initial group of cities," Silver reiterated, signalling that formal announcements could come in the months ahead. With basketball's popularity surging worldwide and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, the NBA's European push appears to be gaining tangible momentum.

Sources

• https://apnews.com/article/nba-board-of-governors-europe-expansion-kawhi-2a2f0282b9c251d26cd6c49d6614486e