FIBA Basketball Champions League 2016/17

This new tournament provides a European platform to teams across Europe and this article examines the teams that are vying for Basketball Champions League glory.

In total, 49 teams will be involved with the tournament. 17 of these teams will automatically drop into the FIBA Europe League before the Regular Season beings and 32 of these teams will be involved with the Regular Season.

Qualification Round 1

The 18 teams who are playing in the opening qualifying round of the FIBA 2016/17 Basketball Champions League have been split into two regional sections.

Region A

Region A comprises of 10 teams and will therefore provide the basis for 5 matches in the opening round of the qualifying stage.

KatajaBasket (FIN)
Södertälje Kings (SWE)
Donar Groningen (NED)
Juventus Utena (LTU)
FC Porto (POR)
SL Benfica (POR)
Bakken Bears (DEN)
Tartu University (EST)
Dinamo Sassari (ITA)
Pallacanestro Varese (ITA)

The five ties in Region A, which will be played on the 27^th and 29^th of September (the ties are listed with respect to the home leg on the 27^th, on the 29^th, the teams will play the reverse fixture) are as follows:

Tie 1: Bakken Bears v Dinamo Sassari
Tie 2: FC Porto v Juventus Utena
Tie 3: SL Benfica v Varese
Tie 4: Donar Groningen v Tartu University
Tie 5: KatajaBasket v Södertälje Kings

Region B

Region B comprises of 8 teams and will therefore provide the basis for 4 matches in the opening round of the qualifying stage.

KK Igokea (BIH)
CSM CSU Oradea (ROU)
Tsmoki-Minsk (BLR)
Petrolina AEK Larnaca (CYP)
BC Prievidza (SVK)
KK Mornar Bar (MNE)
U-BT Cluj-Napoca (ROU)
Rilski Sportist (BUL)

The four five ties in Region B, which will be played on the 27^th and 29^th of September (the ties are listed with respect to the home leg on the 27^th, on the 29^th, the teams will play the reverse fixture) are as follows:

Tie 6: Rilski Sportist v Tsmoki-Minsk
Tie 7: KK Igokea v KK Mornar Bar
Tie 8: CSM CSU Oradea v BC Prievidza
Tie 9: Petrolina AEK Larnaca v U-BT Cluj-Napoca

Qualification Round 2

The 7 teams that have been placed directly into Round 2 of the Qualification process of the Champions League have been placed into two groups.

Region A (Pot 1)

Region A, or Pot 1, comprises of three teams.

Szolnoki Olaj (HUN)
Proximus Spirou Charleroi (BEL)
MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg (GER)

The Qualification Round 2 games, with respect to the teams coming in under Region A are as follows:

Winner of Tie 2 v MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg
Winner of Tie 3 v Szolnoki Olaj
Winner of Tie 5 v Proximus Spirou Charleroi

These ties will be played on the 4^th and 7^th of October with the ties listed for the first leg. In the second leg, the reverse fixture will take place.

Region B (Pot 3)

Region B, or Pot 3, comprises of four teams.

Lukoil Academic (BUL)
Besiktas Sompo Japan (TUR)
Muratbey Usak Sportif (TUR)
Ironi Nahariya (ISR)

The Qualification Round 2 games, with respect to the teams coming in under Region B are as follows:

Muratbey Usak Sportif v Winner of Tie 9
Winner of Tie 6 v Ironi Nahariya
Lukoil Academic v Winner of Tie 8
Winner of Tie 7 v Besiktas Sompo Japan

These ties will be played on the 4^th and 7^th of October with the ties listed for the first leg. In the second leg, the reverse fixture will take place.

There is also a game between the Winner of Round 4 v the Winner of Tie 1,which will be played out on the same dates and with the same conditions as the other ties at this stage of the tournament.

Regular Season

The 24 teams that gain direct access to the Regular Season have been split into 6 pots with four teams in a pot. With four groups of teams being set up in the Regular Season, a team from each pot will be assigned to each group and then the remaining two spaces in each group will be filled with successful teams from the qualifying round.

Pot 1 Teams

Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne (FRA)
SIG Strasbourg (FRA)
Banvit (TUR)
Pinar Karsiyaka (TUR)

Pot 2 Teams

Fraport Skyliners (GER)
EWE Baskets Oldenburg (GER)
Sidigas Avellino (ITA)
Umana Reyer Venezia (ITA)

Pot 3 Teams

Aris BSA-2003 (GRE)
PAOK (GRE)
Avtodor Saratov (RUS)
Iberostar Tenerife (ESP)

Pot 4 Teams

Telenet Oostende (BEL)
Maccabi Rand Media Rishon Lezion (ISR)
ČEZ Basketball Nymburk (CZE)
Neptunas (LTU)

Pot 5 Teams

Khimik (UKR)
Helios Suns Domžale (SLO)
Cibona (CRO)
Rosa Radom (POL)

Pot 6 Teams

Mega Leks (SRB)
Ventspils (LAT)
As Monaco Basket (FRA)
Le Mans (FRA)

The draw for the group stages of the Regular Season will take place once all of the qualified teams are known.