EuroLeague Matchday Preview: Fixtures, Schedule & Key Matchups
The EuroLeague is back for the 2026–27 season, with 20 teams beginning a 38-round regular-season campaign that will ultimately lead to the Play-In Showdown, playoffs and 2027 EuroLeague Final Four. The new season features the same home-and-away format as 2025–26, with every club playing 38 regular-season games.
The competition has also welcomed BeÅŸiktaÅŸ Istanbul into the field in place of AS Monaco, while Dubai Basketball and Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv continue as part of the 20-team competition. The regular season began on 24 September and is scheduled to run through April 2027.
Across Europe, clubs will look to establish an early rhythm, integrate new signings and manage the demands of a packed calendar. With double-round weeks arriving early in the campaign, strong starts can be particularly valuable as teams balance domestic commitments with European basketball.
What Are The EuroLeague Matchday 1 Fixtures?
Matchday 1 of the 2026–27 EuroLeague season features several major fixtures, including Barcelona against Anadolu Efes, Baskonia against defending champions Olympiacos, Panathinaikos against Paris Basketball and Dubai Basketball’s first EuroLeague home game of the campaign against Real Madrid.
The confirmed Round 1 schedule is:
Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. FC Bayern Munich – 24 September, 18:00 CEST
Dubai Basketball vs. Real Madrid – 24 September, 18:00 CEST
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Zalgiris Kaunas – 24 September, 20:00 CEST
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Paris Basketball – 24 September, 20:15 CEST
Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Olympiacos Piraeus – 24 September, 20:30 CEST
FC Barcelona vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul – 24 September, 20:30 CEST
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv – 24 September, 20:45 CEST
Beşiktaş Istanbul vs. Valencia Basket – 25 September, 19:00 CEST
Fenerbahçe Beko Istanbul vs. Virtus Bologna – 25 September, 19:45 CEST
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan – 25 September, 20:45 CEST
The times above are listed in Central European Summer Time, as used in the official EuroLeague schedule. For UK readers, the September 24 fixtures are one hour earlier than the times shown above, while the September 25 fixtures are also one hour earlier.
EuroLeague Matchday 1: Game of the Week Preview
FC Barcelona v Anadolu Efes Istanbul is one of the standout fixtures of Round 1, bringing together two established EuroLeague clubs. Barcelona opened its campaign at home at the Palau Blaugrana, while Efes arrived with a roster built around experienced European and international talent. The game also provides an early test of how both teams’ new-season rotations perform in a competitive environment.
Another major storyline surrounds defending champions Olympiacos Piraeus, who began their title defence away against Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. Olympiacos won the 2026 EuroLeague title and therefore entered the new campaign with the challenge of immediately transferring last season’s success into a new roster and schedule.
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Paris Basketball was another fixture attracting significant attention. Panathinaikos hosted the game at the Telekom Center Athens, with Paris entering the season after winning the 2026 LNB SuperCup. The matchup offered an early opportunity to assess how Paris would translate its domestic momentum into EuroLeague competition.
There was also plenty of interest in Dubai Basketball v Real Madrid. Dubai entered its second EuroLeague season after finishing 11th in its debut campaign and winning the ABA League, while Real Madrid arrived as the 2026 EuroLeague runners-up. The two teams had already met in the EuroLeague SuperCup shortly before the regular season began.
What Were The EuroLeague Matchday 1 Results?
The first seven Round 1 games were completed on Thursday, September 24, while Beşiktaş v Valencia, Fenerbahçe v Virtus Bologna and Partizan v Milan are scheduled for Friday, September 25.
Results from the completed games are:
Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv 84–86 FC Bayern Munich
Dubai Basketball 78–77 Real Madrid
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 77–83 Zalgiris Kaunas
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 91–72 Paris Basketball
Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 89–106 Olympiacos Piraeus
FC Barcelona 89–82 Anadolu Efes Istanbul
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 84–74 Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv
Bayern produced one of the night’s notable results by winning 86–84 away against Hapoel in Sofia, with Andi Obst scoring 19 points and Johannes Thiemann adding 15.
Dubai Basketball recorded its first EuroLeague win of the season by edging Real Madrid 78–77. Dwayne Bacon led Dubai with 24 points, while the result gave the home side an early victory over the previous season’s runners-up.
Zalgiris won 83–77 at Crvena Zvezda, while Panathinaikos opened with a 91–72 home victory over Paris Basketball.
Defending champions Olympiacos made a strong start to their title defence, beating Baskonia 106–89 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Barcelona also began with a home victory, defeating Anadolu Efes 89–82 at the Palau Blaugrana.
ASVEL completed Thursday’s action with an 84–74 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv. Jae Crowder scored 19 points for the French side, while Patty Mills added 15 in his EuroLeague debut for ASVEL.
The remaining three Round 1 fixtures are scheduled for September 25, meaning the complete opening-round picture will not be available until those games have been played. The early results already include several close finishes, including Dubai’s one-point win over Real Madrid and Bayern’s two-point victory at Hapoel.
The opening round provides the first competitive reference point for the season, but the 38-round regular season leaves plenty of time for teams to make adjustments. With Round 2 beginning on September 29, followed by Round 3 on October 1, the early schedule immediately puts squad depth and rotation management under pressure.
Bet on the EuroLeague at Bet442
At Bet442, you can follow the EuroLeague with access to outright markets, match betting, player specials, and live in-play options throughout the weekend.
Before placing a bet, check the applicable terms, make sure you understand the odds and use only funds you can afford to lose.
Bet442 is licenced and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring a safe and secure betting experience.
Always remember to gamble responsibly by sticking to a strict budget within your means and making use of any responsible gambling tools available.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.