The 2026 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague qualifying phase will feature 28 of the top under-18 programs from across Europe and beyond, competing in four three-day tournaments between February and March.
After triumphing in last season’s NextGen Finals, Zalgiris Kaunas youngsters will begin defending their title in the same city where they lifted the champions’ trophy – Abu Dhabi.
Teams representing 12 countries will take part in the qualifying events as they pursue a place in the season-ending NextGen EuroLeague Finals, where the continental junior club champion will be crowned alongside the EuroLeague Final Four.
Nineteen of the participating teams are junior sections of EuroLeague clubs, while six represent BKT EuroCup organizations. Three additional teams have been invited, and each tournament will also include a host NextGen Team.
Along with the Zalgiris talents, seven other teams will participate in the tournament in Abu Dhabi: Aris Thessaloniki, AS Monaco, Dubai Basketball, London Lions, Real Madrid, Valencia Basket, and NextGen Team Abu Dhabi.
The eight teams will be divided into two groups of four, and the teams that finish in the top two places in each group will advance to the qualifying tournament final to compete for the title.
