The newly created Euroleague Supercup will hold its inaugural edition on Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19, at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dabi, featuring Real Madrid alongside three other continental powerhouses, according to announcements by Euroleague Basketball and reports from sports outlets including AS and Infobae.
Abu Dabi is set to stage the four-team opening tournament of the European club basketball season, bringing together reigning continental champion Olympiacos, 2025 Euroleague winner Fenerbahçe, Real Madrid, and Dubai Basketball, as reported by Infobae. The competition serves as an early-season test for clubs ahead of the 2026–27 regular season start on September 24.
Format and Matchups in Abu Dabi
The tournament utilizes a Final Four format at the Etihad Arena, according to Infobae. The semifinal schedule opens on Friday, September 18, with Olympiacos facing Fenerbahçe at 18:00 local time (16:00 CET), matching the previous two continental titleholders as noted by AS. In the second semifinal at 21:00 local time (19:00 CET), Real Madrid will take on tournament hosts Dubai Basketball, coached by Xavi Pascual, according to AS and Infobae reporting.
Saturday, September 19, features the classification matches. The third-place playoff is scheduled for 18:00 local time (16:00 CET), followed by the championship final at 21:00 local time (19:00 CET), as outlined by Infobae.
Real Madrid Roster Changes Under Pedro Martinez
For Real Madrid, the event marks the official competitive debut under head coach Pedro Martinez, who takes charge following a season without silverware that concluded with a runner-up finish in the Euroleague according to AS. The club has overhauled its roster with six confirmed additions: Jaime Pradilla, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, Mikael Jantunen, Max Shulga, Olivier Sarr, and Eli N’Diaye, per AS reporting.
The Spanish giants missed out on the domestic Supercopa Endesa—scheduled for the same September 19–20 weekend in Badalona—after finishing a campaign without titles for the first time in fifteen years, AS reported.
Opponents’ Market Activity
Olympiacos enters the Supercup as the reigning 2026 champion after defeating Real Madrid in the Athens final, retaining a strong core while adding Codi Miller-McIntyre, Jean Montero, and Mbaye N’Diaye, according to AS. Their preparation has navigated uncertainty regarding Walkup, who reportedly communicated an intention to break his contract unilaterally ahead of a reported move to Dubai Basketball.
Dubai Basketball has assembled a heavily reinforced roster under Xavi Pascual, adding McKinley Wright, Elie Okobo, Davion Mintz, Dwayne Bacon, Jaron Blossomgame, Toko Shengelia, and Mamadi Diakité, AS notes. Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe returns under head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius with notable summer acquisitions including Trent Forrest, Will Clyburn, Braxton Key, Shavon Shields, and Shane Larkin, as detailed by AS.
Ticketing and Expansion Context
Euroleague Basketball president Dejan Bodiroga emphasized the strategic importance of the event. “The launch of the Euroleague Basketball SuperCup marks a new exciting chapter for European club basketball. Abu Dabi has demonstrated a firm commitment to basketball and to hosting major international sporting events, making it the ideal setting for this new competition,” Bodiroga said, according to Infobae.
The tournament builds on Abu Dabi’s prior hosting of the 2025 Euroleague Final Four. Organizers released two-day tournament passes ranging from 143 to 359 euros, with single-day tickets set to become available on August 31, priced between 55 and 138 euros for Friday and 102 and 256 euros for Saturday, Infobae reported.
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