Newcomers, returnees, familiar challengers: These are the teams of BCL's Season 8
The BCL Board met on Tuesday, June 27 and confirmed the names of the teams already through to the Regular Season, as well as the 24 members of the Qualification Rounds, fighting for the remaining tickets.
MIES (Switzerland) - There were 63 applications for the Basketball Champions League season 2023-24, with the Regular Season seeing 32 teams once again. The Basketball Champions League Board met on Tuesday, June 27 and confirmed the names of the teams already through to the Regular Season, as well as the 24 members of the Qualification Rounds, fighting for the remaining tickets.
The list includes newcomers from Italy, Bertram Yachts Derthona, a new entry from Turkey with Bursaspor, and another one with Polish champion King Szczecin, while Rio Breogan become the tenth Spanish team to make the trip to the Regular Season.
Meanwhile, EWE Baskets Oldenburg, Le Mans Sarthe Basket, Czech champion Opava and Promitheas Patras are making a comeback to the competition after a short period away from the BCL.
Reigning champion Telekom Baskets Bonn are back to try and defend their title won in Malaga back in May, as well as the other participants from the Final Four that are also in the Regular Season draw.
A total of 28 countries will be represented in Season 8, with 14 national champions waiting for the draw. The Qualification Rounds tip off on September 25, ending on October 1, when the last clubs to qualify to the Regular Season will be known.
The Regular Season starts on October 17, with the same format as previous seasons: Eight groups of four teams, group-winners moving directly to the Round of 16, while second- and third-placed teams move to the Play-In Series in January.
Later in January, the Round of 16 group stage begins, giving us eight remaining teams for the Quarter-Finals in April, while the Final Four will take place in May.
The full lineup is as follows:
Regular Season (alphabetically):
AEK (GRE), Bertram Yachts Derthona (ITA), Bursaspor (TUR), Darussafaka Lassa (TUR), Dinamo BDS Sassari (ITA), EWE Baskets Oldenburg (GER), Falco Vulcano Szombathely (HUN), Filou Oostende (BEL), Galatasaray Nef (TUR), Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (ISR), Hapoel Holon (ISR), Igokea m:tel (BIH), JDA Bourgogne Dijon (FRA), King Szczecin (POL), Le Mans Sarthe Basket (FRA), Lenovo Tenerife (ESP), MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg (GER), Opava (CZE), PAOK mateco (GRE), Peristeri bwin (GRE), Pinar Karsiyaka (TUR), Promitheas Patras (GRE), Rio Breogan (ESP), Rytas Vilnius (LTU), Telekom Baskets Bonn (GER), Tofas Bursa (TUR), UCAM Murcia (ESP), Unicaja (ESP), VEF Riga (LAT).
Qualification Rounds (alphabetically):
Bakken Bears (DEN), BG Gottingen (GER), Caledonia Gladiators (GBR), Cholet Basket (FRA), CSM CSU Oradea (ROU), FMP Soccerbet (SRB), Fribourg Olympic (CH), Legia Warszawa (POL), Monbus Obradoiro (ESP), Mornar Barsko Zlato (MNE), Norrkoping Dolphins (SWE), Pallacanestro Varese (ITA), Patrioti Levice (SVK), Peja (KOS), Petrolina AEK LCA (CYP), Telenet Giants Antwerp (BEL), TSU Tbilisi (GEO), SIG Strasbourg (FRA), SL Benfica (POR).
The Swiss Champs Fribourg Olympic (CH) have been additionally granted access to Season 8, and will face Caledonia Gladiators in a Pre-Qualifier game.
An initial draw sorting the Qualification Rounds and the Regular Season phase will take place at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball on Wednesday, July 5 at 11.30 am CET. The ceremony can be followed live on championsleague.basketball.