Etihad Arena. Photo: Shutterstock The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Euroleague Basketball have launched the Euroleague Basketball SuperCup, a new competition that will officially kick off the European club basketball season. The inaugural edition will be held at the Etihad Arena in Bays Island, Abu Dhabi, on September 18-19, 2026.
The launch of the Super Cup expands Euroleague Basketball's competition portfolio and creates a prestigious annual event that will showcase the best of European club basketball while further expanding the league's global presence. Hosting the inaugural edition in Abu Dhabi underscores the emirate's growing status as an international sports destination and its commitment to hosting world-class events.
The first edition will bring together four elite clubs: reigning EuroLeague champion Olympiacos Piraeus, 2025 EuroLeague champion Fenerbahce Tarpin Istanbul, 2026 finalist Real Madrid, and Dubai Basketball, representing the United Arab Emirates. The four teams will compete in a two-day event that will officially kick off the European club basketball season.
The competition will be held in a Final Four format, with two games each day at 18:00 and 21:00 Gulf Time. On Friday, September 18, Olympiacos Piraeus will face Fenerbahce Tarpin Istanbul, while Dubai Basketball will play Real Madrid. The tournament will conclude on Saturday, September 19, with the third-place game followed by the first-ever Euroleague Basketball SuperCup Final.
Tickets for the Super Cup are already on sale on the official Etihad Arena website. Prices start at 572 dirhams, with the price varying depending on the seating category and ticket package chosen. The event will take place over two days, with two games each day, including the first-ever final in the history of the facility.
Saleh Mohammed Al Ghaziri, Director General of Tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, called the inaugural edition of the Euroleague Basketball SuperCup another milestone in the long-term partnership between Abu Dhabi and Euroleague Basketball, saying it reflects their shared ambition to develop the game, while creating world-class experiences for fans.
By reuniting four elite clubs in Abu Dhabi to kick off the new season, the emirate's position as a global destination for top-level sporting events further strengthens, while creating lasting value for the visitor economy, local businesses and our communities, Al Ghaziri added.
Following the success of the 2025 Euroleague Final Four in Abu Dhabi, the new Supercup marks the next chapter in the long-term partnership between Euroleague Basketball and DCT Abu Dhabi. The agreement, brokered by Euroleague Basketball's strategic partner, IMG, supports the league's international growth strategy while further strengthening Abu Dhabi's position as a leading destination for world-class sporting events.
Dejan Bodiroga, President of Euroleague Basketball, said: the launch of the Euroleague Basketball SuperCup marks an exciting new chapter in European club basketball while expressing delight to partner with DCT Abu Dhabi on the first edition of the competition, which will bring together some of the most successful clubs to celebrate the start of the new season.
Bodiroga also spoke about Abu Dhabi's strong commitment to basketball and hosting exceptional international sporting events, which makes it the ideal venue for this new competition.
Chus Bueno, CEO of Euroleague Basketball, said the Euroleague Basketball SuperCup reflects their ambition to keep innovating and expanding the reach of European club basketball.
The move fits into Abu Dhabi's broader strategy to attract international sporting events and content and turn them into a tourism engine.
This time, the emirate is not just hosting an existing event but is serving as the arena for the launch of an entirely new EuroLeague event, with the ambition of making it a major annual event on the international basketball calendar.