Abu Dhabi to Host First Euroleague Basketball SuperCup in 2026

Fans of European club basketball will have a new season-opener to mark on their calendars. Abu Dhabi will host the inaugural Euroleague Basketball SuperCup on September 18 and 19, 2026, at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, giving basketball supporters across the region and beyond a premium live event before the regular season gets underway.

The tournament adopts a Final Four format, with matches scheduled at 6pm and 9pm GST each day. Four clubs headline the competition: reigning EuroLeague champion Olympiacos Piraeus, 2025 EuroLeague champion Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul, 2026 finalist Real Madrid, and UAE representative Dubai Basketball. On the opening day, Olympiacos Piraeus meets Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul while Dubai Basketball faces Real Madrid. Day two closes with a third-place game and the inaugural SuperCup Final.

For fans in the UAE and the wider region, the fixture offers something genuinely new: a chance to watch four of Europe’s most decorated clubs compete on home ground, rather than travelling to European venues. Dubai Basketball’s inclusion gives local supporters a direct stake in the outcome.

The event was developed through a partnership between the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Euroleague Basketball, with IMG acting as the league’s strategic partner in brokering the agreement. The choice of Abu Dhabi builds on the emirate’s recent track record as a basketball host, most recently the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four.

Dejan Bodiroga, President of Euroleague Basketball, described the launch as a new chapter for the sport. “We are delighted to partner with DCT Abu Dhabi for the inaugural edition of this competition, which will bring together some of the most successful clubs to celebrate the start of a new season,” Bodiroga said. “Abu Dhabi has demonstrated a strong commitment to basketball and to delivering exceptional international sporting events, making it the ideal stage for this new competition.”

Chus Bueno, CEO of Euroleague Basketball, pointed to audience access as a central goal. “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,” Bueno said. “We look forward to establishing the SuperCup as a flagship fixture on the international basketball calendar.”

His Excellency Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, framed the event’s value in terms that extend beyond the arena. “Bringing four elite clubs to Abu Dhabi to open the new season further strengthens the emirate’s position as a global destination for elite sporting events, while generating lasting value for our visitor economy, local businesses and communities,” Al Geziry said. He added that events such as the SuperCup “play an important role in inspiring the next generation of players and bringing global audiences to Abu Dhabi.”

That last point carries weight. For young basketball players in the UAE, watching Olympiacos, Fenerbahce, and Real Madrid compete locally is a different kind of access than following the EuroLeague from a screen.

Whether the SuperCup becomes the durable season-opening fixture its architects intend will depend on how fans, clubs, and broadcasters respond to the first edition in September 2026.