NBA, FIBA say they're moving closer to new planned basketball league in Europe

The NBA and FIBA said Monday they will start the process of engaging with teams and owners about joining their planned new league in Europe next month.

As has been expected, the league will offer both permanent spots and “a merit-based pathway” to qualifying on an annual basis through FIBA's Basketball Champions League or an end-of-season tournament, the sides said. Every team in a FIBA-affiliated European league would have the chance to qualify.

“The format of the league respects European sport model principles by offering any ambitious club in the continent a fair pathway to the top," FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said.

Many details for the new league are yet to be formally finalized, including when it will start play — the working target has been October 2027 — and how many teams will take part in that inaugural season. Among the models that the NBA and FIBA have explored is a 16-team league, with 12 “permanent” spots and the other four available through qualifying.

The sides have been discussing a European league for many years, and no shortage of the NBA's biggest stars right now hail from that continent — such as Denver's Nikola Jokic, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama, the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic and Utah's Lauri Markkanen. About 1 in 6 NBA players are from Europe.

Efforts toward starting the new league seemed to begin intensifying around the time of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Earlier this year, Zagklis and Silver sat side-by-side at a New York news conference to announce that the NBA and FIBA were moving forward with the project. Things have moved quickly since, with JPMorgan and the Raine Group being brought on board this summer to advise on certain financial components.

“Our conversations with various stakeholders in Europe have reinforced our belief that an enormous opportunity exists around the creation of a new league on the continent,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

Current target countries for the NBA-FIBA endeavor are known to include Britain (with the potential host cities there being London and Manchester), France (Paris and Lyon), Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), Italy (Rome and Milan), Germany (Munich and Berlin), Greece (Athens) and Turkey (Istanbul).

The NBA has a pair of regular-season games in Europe in mid-January, with the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic going to Berlin and London for contests.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts to a play during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić drives (15) past Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

ROME (AP) — Italy’s four flag bearers for its upcoming home Milan Cortina Winter Olympics were honored in a handover ceremony at the presidential palace on Monday.

Short track speedskater Arianna Fontana, cross country skier Federico Pellegrino, Alpine skier Federica Brignone and curler Amos Mosaner were handed flags by Italy President Sergio Mattarella.

Skiers Chiara Mazzel and René De Silvestro, who will be flag bearers at the Paralympics, were also honored.

Fontana and Pellegrino will carry the flag at the main opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro soccer stadium on Feb. 6, while Brignone and Mosaner will have the honors at a simultaneous ceremony in Cortina d’Ampezzo on the same night.

Fontana has won an Italian women’s record 11 Olympic medals across five different Winter Games stretching back to Turin in 2006. She also carried her country’s flag at the opening ceremony for the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

“Even if this will be my sixth Olympics, and my second time as flag bearer, it’s still emotional,” Fontana said.

Pellegrino has won two silver medals at the Olympics.

Brignone is the defending overall World Cup champion and has a silver and two bronzes from the Olympics. She's attempting to return from a major injury in time for the Games.

Mosaner teamed with Stefania Constantini to win gold in the mixed doubles at the 2022 Beijing Games.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Italian by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella applauds during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italian athletes Rene' De Silvestro, left and Chiara Mazzel receive the Italian flag from Italian President Sergio Mattarella for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italy's Sofia Goggia, center, applauds during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italian President Sergio Mattarella, center, poses for a group photo with Olympic and Paralympic athletes during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

From left, Italian athletes Federica Brignone, Amos Mosaner, Federico Pellegrino, Arianna Fontana, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Rene' de Silvestro, right, and Chiara Mazzel, second from right, pose for a group photo, during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italian Paralympic athlete Rene' de Silvestro delivers his speech during the hand over ceremony of the Italian flag by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games, at the Quirinale Presidential palace, in Rome, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)