Ulm, Abu Dhabi, Bologna and Belgrade will host the Qualifiers
2025-26 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague returns to spotlight Europe’s top prospects
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The Adidas NextGen EuroLeague returns for the 2025–26 season, carrying forward the momentum of last year’s refreshed identity. Now entering its 24th edition, the competition continues to reinforce its place within the Euroleague Basketball framework and its reputation as the leading stage for Europe’s top U18 prospects, many of whom go on to become central figures in the senior game.
As always, the season will be built around four Qualifying Tournaments held between late autumn and early spring. The winner of each event will book a spot at the 2026 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals, which will once again take place during the EuroLeague Final Four in Athens, Greece, creating a shared spotlight for both emerging and established stars.
The Next Generation Team, made up of standout players from clubs not represented in the qualifiers, will continue to feature at every stop on the calendar. Dogus Balbay, a 2021 and 2022 EuroLeague champion, will coach the team for the second consecutive season. Balbay made an impressive debut last year, guiding the U18 Next Generation Team to the Istanbul Qualifier Final and winning the Munich Qualifier. The 2025-26 Qualifying Tournaments:
Ulm, Germany – February 6-8, 2026
The season begins with the opening qualifier hosted at Orange Campus, which is renowned across Europe for its commitment to youth development.
Abu Dhabi, UAE – February 27-March 1, 2026
The action then moves to the second stop, where teams will compete at the state-of-the-art Space42 Arena. This marks the third occasion that the NextGen EuroLeague will be held in the Middle East, after Dubai hosted a qualifier in 2024 and Abu Dhabi staged last season’s Finals.
Bologna, Italy – March 13-15, 2026
In mid-March, the competition continues at the historic PalaDozza, the former home of Virtus Bologna for many years. Bologna will make its debut as a NextGen host, bringing all the excitement of the tournament to a growing Italian fan base.
Belgrade, Serbia – March 20-22, 2026
Belgrade, a familiar and longstanding stop on the NextGen circuit, will host the final qualifier at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, with Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade taking on hosting duties.
Over the years, the competition has seen many of today’s biggest names pass through its ranks, including Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kristaps Porzingis, Domantas Sabonis, Milos Teodosic, Vasilije Micic, Nikola Mirotic, Donatas Motiejunas, Dario Saric, Jonas Valanciunas, Omri Casspi, Luigi Datome, and Goga Bitadze, among others. The 2025-26 season aims to add new names to that list as Europe’s next generation steps into the spotlight.