Four elite clubs open the European season at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
Abu Dhabi will host the inaugural EuroLeague Basketball SuperCup on September 18-19. The new four-team tournament opens the European club season at Etihad Arena.
Olympiacos Piraeus, the reigning EuroLeague champions, join 2025 winners Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul, 2026 finalists Real Madrid, and host representatives Dubai Basketball. The event uses a Final Four format with two games each day.
Schedule and Format
Friday’s semis pit Olympiacos against Fenerbahce at 6pm local time. Dubai Basketball faces Real Madrid at 9pm. Saturday brings the third-place game at 6pm, followed by the SuperCup final at 9pm.
The competition arrives one week before the 2026-27 EuroLeague regular season begins on September 24. EuroLeague approved the SuperCup in July as part of its push to expand beyond traditional markets.
Why Abu Dhabi?
Etihad Arena already hosted the 2025 Final Four, the first held outside Europe. Fenerbahce lifted the title there against Monaco. The UAE capital has also staged NBA preseason games since 2022.
Dejan Bodiroga, EuroLeague Basketball president, called the launch “an exciting new chapter for European club basketball.” He praised Abu Dhabi’s commitment to the sport and its track record with major events.
Chus Bueno, the league’s CEO, said the SuperCup shows ambition to innovate and reach new audiences. “Launching this new competition in Abu Dhabi enables us to engage new audiences while providing fans, clubs and partners with a premium event that showcases the very best of our sport.”
Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, director-general for tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, described it as another milestone in the long-term partnership. He said bringing four elite clubs strengthens the emirate’s status as a global sports destination and supports the local visitor economy.
Tickets and Build-Up
Two-day package tickets are already on sale via the Etihad Arena website. Single-day tickets go on sale August 31. The arena holds around 18,000 spectators.
The SuperCup gives Real Madrid an early look under new coach Pedro Martínez. Dubai Basketball, coached by Xavi Pascual, gets a high-profile home showcase as the UAE’s EuroLeague side.
Fans will see early-season form from last season’s top sides before the full campaign begins. The two-day event marks a clear statement of intent from both EuroLeague and Abu Dhabi.
🏀 History will be made in Abu Dhabi!
— EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) August 24, 2026
The first-ever Euroleague Basketball SuperCup comes to Etihad Arena on 18–19 Sept. 2026, featuring @Olympiacos_BC, @FBBasketbol, @RMBaloncesto and @dubaibasket.
Full Event Package Tickets now on sale at the Etihad Arena webpage:… pic.twitter.com/RDedugEbaa
AI Disclosure: This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools and was reviewed and edited by the Glowls News editorial team before publication.