The 2026-27 Liga Endesa returns to its full format after an atypical 17-team season and reshapes the Spanish basketball map in a summer of active market moves, high-profile coaching changes and growing pressure from a European schedule that punishes inconsistency. Valencia defend the title won at Palau Blaugrana; Real Madrid arrive with the urgency to turn regular-season dominance into trophies; Barça open their centenary year with a deep rebuild; and Baskonia try to prove the Copa del Rey was no fluke.
This guide covers the calendar, format, all 18 teams, the key summer market moves and the storylines set to define the season.
As August closes, the league looks more balanced at the top than last season, but with renewed pressure in the middle of the table: the return to 18 clubs restores relegation as a real threat, Granada and Gran Canaria leave roster spots open on the market and teams like Lleida, Zaragoza or Andorra know they cannot repeat last-gasp survival seasons. From the Supercopa in Badalona to the Copa del Rey cut-off in January, every round will have a double reading: immediate result and accumulated wear.
Competition status
The ACB returns to normal after an atypical 17-team season. 2026-27 is the 44th ACB-era campaign and restores the classic double round-robin format.
Returning to 18 clubs is not just arithmetic. It restores relegation as real pressure for mid-table projects and brings the calendar back to its usual rhythm: dense weekends, European weeks colliding with domestic fixtures and a May stretch where home-court advantage matters again. For EuroLeague clubs, that normality also means recovering the balance between rotations and results in a context where every ACB loss can cost Playoff positions.
Key calendar
- Current season: 2026-27
- Closed season: 2025-26 (champion: Valencia Basket)
- Teams: 18
- Regular season: 34 jornadas (306 partidos)
- Regular season start: 26-27 September 2026
- Regular season end: 21-23 May 2027
- Playoffs: desde el 25 May 2027
- Next milestone: Supercopa Endesa, Badalona (19-20 septiembre de 2026)
Format and qualification
- Playoffs: top eight in the regular season qualify
- Relegation: bottom two drop to Primera FEB
- Playoffs — cuartos: best of 3 (1-1-1)
- Semifinales y final: best of 5 (2-2-1)
- Fixed bracket: 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5
El sistema de Playoffs mantiene el cuadro fijo que premia la consistencia de la fase regular: el primer clasificado se enfrenta al octavo, el segundo al séptimo, y así sucesivamente. Eso convierte cada posición en la tabla en un activo tangible: la diferencia entre cuarto y quinto puede suponer una serie más favorable en cuartos, y la batalla por el octavo puesto suele ser tan intensa como la lucha por el título entre los grandes.
Historical context
The ACB closes a cycle of irregular formats. The reduction to 17 teams in 2025-26 —after San Pablo Burgos' temporary exit and Leyma Coruña's return without a new promotion— altered the league rhythm and removed one relegation spot. That anomaly is over: 2026-27 restores the traditional balance between promotion, survival and title contention.
From 2027-28, the reigning Supercopa champion's spot goes to the previous season's regular-season winner. It is a regulatory change that does not affect Badalona 2026 yet, but it foreshadows a debate about balancing trophies and regular-season performance. Clubs fighting at the top will have to weigh whether to prioritise the Supercopa or save energy for the decisive league stretch.
Broadcast and venues
| Event | Date | Venue | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supercopa Endesa 2026 | 19-20 sept 2026 | Badalona | DAZN |
| Copa del Rey 2027 | 18-21 feb 2027 | Valencia (Roig Arena) | DAZN |
La cinlización de la difusión en DAZN condiciona el alcance mediático de la competición. La Supercopa se emitirá en abierto por suscripción, un detalle relevante para la visibilidad del arranque de temporada y para clubes como Joventut, que aprovechan el torneo como escaparate nacional.
Reigning champion and 2025-26 context
Valencia Basket won their 2.º Liga Endesa title by beating Barça 3-1 in the finals. The clincher was played at Palau Blaugrana (84-108, 24 de junio de 2026).
The 3-1 final against Barça reflected a Valencia side less dominant in the regular season than Madrid, but more used to winning when games tighten. Jean Montero, Final Playoff MVP, was the image of the title; Kameron Taylor and a solid defensive core sustained the team's identity in decisive stretches. Xavi Albert inherited a winning project and must now prove Montero's departure does not dismantle the machinery.
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Final Playoff MVP | Jean Montero (23,8 pts, 5,5 ast, 30,3 val. average) |
| Regular-season MVP | Mario Hezonja (Real Madrid) |
| Regular-season top seed | Real Madrid (26-8) |
| Finalist | Barça |
| Semi-finalists | Valencia, Barça, Asisa Joventut, La Laguna Tenerife |
Final standings (Playoffs)
- Real Madrid | 2. Valencia | 3. Kosner Baskonia | 4. UCAM Murcia | 5. Barça | 6. Asisa Joventut | 7. Surne Bilbao | 8. La Laguna Tenerife
Real Madrid finished as regular-season leaders at 26-8, but fell in the quarter-finals to La Laguna Tenerife in one of the biggest surprises of recent years. Valencia, third in the table (24-10), found the right moment in May and capitalised on a Playoff bracket that let them reach the finals with less wear than their direct rivals.
2025-26 statistical leaders
| Category | Player | Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring | Tim Luwawu-Cabarrot | 18,1 ppg |
| Rebounds | Tryggvi Hlinason | 6,8 rpg |
| Assists | Shannon Evans | 5,5 apg |
| PIR | Luka Božić | 24,3 PIR |
Luwawu-Cabarrot fue el anotador más prolífico de la liga pese a jugar en un Baskonia que no llegó a la final. Hlinason consolidó su estatus de referencia interior en Bilbao, miins que Božić lideró la valoración en un contexto de equipo con menos presión mediática que los grandes.
Reading the closed season
Surprises: La Laguna Tenerife elimina al Real Madrid en cuartos; Kosner Baskonia campeón de Copa tras 17 años; Valencia cierra el doblete Liga-Supercopa.
Disappointments: Real Madrid sin títulos pese a liderar la fase regular; Unicaja fuera de Playoffs (17-17); Granada y Gran Canaria descienden.
The global reading of 2025-26 leaves two clear messages: the regular season no longer guarantees anything in May, and the middle of the table can fall quickly without consistency. Tenerife showed that a well-built project can eliminate the favourite; Granada and Gran Canaria confirmed that ACB survival does not allow long stretches without answers.
Para la cobertura de 2026-27, conviene recordar que el Madrid llega con la etiqueta de equipo que dominó el curso regular sin capitalizarlo, miins que Valencia parte con la autoridad moral del campeón pero sin su MVP del playoff. Esa tensión entre datos y resultados definirá el arranque de la temporada.
Promotions, relegations and competitive map
2026-27 brings no new promotions: the 18 teams are elite continuity, with Leyma Coruña already integrated since their 2025-26 promotion.
La Primera FEB seguirá aspirando al retorno, pero este curso no trae novedades en la cúpula. Eso concin la atención en los dos descensos del ejercicio anterior y en cómo sus jugadores redistribuyen el mercado doméstico.
2025-26 relegations
| Team | Record | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Coviran Granada | 6-28 | Direct relegation |
| Dreamland Gran Canaria | 10-24 | Drop after 31 years in the ACB |
Granada closed with the league's worst record (6-28) in a season with no margin for error from the first month. Gran Canaria, by contrast, dragged a negative dynamic that ended with their exit after more than three decades at the top level — an institutional blow for Canarian basketball.
Notable survivals
- Casademont Zaragoza: survival on round 34
- iLERNA Lleida: survival on round 32 (James Batemon game-winner triple vs Gran Canaria)
Zaragoza saved their place at the last gasp, confirming that a single game can decide an entire club's fate. Lleida, with a dramatic finish against Gran Canaria, wrote one of the season's iconic images and arrive in 2026-27 with the lesson that survival is not negotiated in April.
Impact on the ACB map
Granada and Gran Canaria disappear from the top tier. Players like Kur Kuath, Žiga Samar and Timmy Allen redistribute the market. Zaragoza, Lleida, Burgos and Andorra remain in the active survival group.
The 2026-27 competitive map is partly drawn by what Granada and Gran Canaria left behind: freed roster spots, players on the market and a Primera FEB looking at the ACB again with greater return ambition. For the clubs that stayed up, the lesson is clear: in an 18-team league with real relegation, there is no room for seasons without identity.
Supercopa Endesa 2026 (Badalona)
La Supercopa abre la temporada en el Palau Municipal de Badalona (19-20 September 2026).
More than a pre-season trophy, the Supercopa Endesa condenses the first credibility test for title contenders. In Badalona, with Joventut as host, the tournament opens with high-voltage semi-finals and a Valencia-Barça rematch already on the calendar.
Participants
| Team | Qualification criteria |
|---|---|
| Valencia Basket | League and Supercopa champion |
| Kosner Baskonia | 2026 Copa del Rey champion |
| Barça | Finalist Liga |
| Asisa Joventut | Host |
Bracket and schedule
- Semi-final 1 (19/09, 18:00): Asisa Joventut vs Kosner Baskonia
- Semi-final 2 (19/09, 21:00): Valencia Basket vs Barça
- Final (20/09, 19:00)
Context
Reigning Supercopa champion (2025, Málaga): Valencia Basket 98-94 vs Real Madrid. MVP: Sergio de Larrea.
Notable absentees: Real Madrid, Unicaja, UCAM Murcia y La Laguna Tenerife do not qualify. The Valencia-Barça rematch in the semi-finals is the season's first major duel.
Sporting significance
For Valencia, the Supercopa is the chance to confirm the league title was no mirage and to debut TJ Shorts in a maximum-pressure setting. For Barça, it is the first real test of whether Sekulić's rebuild can compete at the highest level without the veteran core that defined the previous era.
Joventut, with Laprovittola newly signed, look to use home court in a semi-final against a Baskonia side riding Copa confidence but without two key attacking pieces. Beyond the trophy, the tournament will serve as a thermometer before the regular season and EuroLeague tip-offs.
Copa del Rey 2027 (Valencia)
The Copa del Rey remains the most unpredictable tournament on the domestic calendar: single games, packed arenas and the chance for a mid-table team to write a fairy tale. The 2027 edition in Valencia adds an extra layer: the host is the reigning league champion.
Last edition (2026, Valencia)
Kosner Baskonia were crowned champions (7th title; first in 17 years) by beating Real Madrid 89-100. MVP: Trent Forrest (22+9+11).
The final was a statement of intent from Galbiati's Baskonia: Forrest dominated with a triple-double and Madrid went trophy-less again in a season defined by frustration.
Next edition
- Venue: Valencia, 18-21 February 2027 (Roig Arena)
- Guaranteed host: Valencia Basket
Qualification and format
- top 7 after the first half (17 rounds; cut-off around 24-25 January 2027)
- Host spot if not in the top 7
- Tiebreakers: wins and point differential
- Format: single-game knockout
The Copa race starts from round one: the first-half cut-off shapes rotations and priorities for mid-table teams. A poor start can eliminate a contender with a roster built to compete in February.
In Valencia, the 2027 Copa del Rey also carries symbolic weight: the host defends league champion status in their own city, with a guaranteed spot and pressure not to disappoint their fans. That turns the first-half cut-off into a parallel race that starts long before February.
The 18 Liga Endesa teams in 2026-27
The full 2026-27 ACB roster mixes continuity, naming-rights changes and projects with very different goals. The reference table summarises arena, coach and key player; block-by-block readings help understand the competitive map beyond the names.
Reference table
| Team | City / Arena | Coach | Key player |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asisa Joventut | Badalona, Palau Municipal | Daniel Miret | Ricky Rubio |
| Barça | Barcelona, Palau Blaugrana | Aleksander Sekulić | Josh Nebo / Olivier Nkamhoua |
| Casademont Zaragoza | Zaragoza | Gonzalo García de Vitoria | Santiago Yusta |
| FIATC Girona | Girona | Moncho Fernández | Mac McClung |
| iLERNA Lleida | Lleida | Gerard Encuin | James Batemon / Kur Kuath |
| Kids&Us Manresa | Manresa | Diego Ocampo | Ferran Bassas / Timmy Allen |
| Kosner Baskonia | Vitoria | Paolo Galbiati | Chris Duarte / DJ Stewart |
| La Laguna Tenerife | Tenerife | Jaka Lakovič | Marcelinho Huertas / Kyle Guy |
| Leyma Coruña | A Coruña | Carles Marco | Alonzo Verge Jr. |
| Monbus Obradoiro | Santiago | Diego Epifanio | Leo Meindl |
| MoraBanc Andorra | Andorra la Vella | Žan Tabak | James Akinjo |
| Real Madrid | Madrid | Pedro Martínez | Sergio Llull / Jaime Pradilla |
| Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos | Burgos | Porfirio Fisac | Vlatko Cancar / Žiga Samar |
| Río Breogán | Lugo | Luis Casimiro | Francis Alonso |
| Surne Bilbao | Bilbao | Jaume Ponsarnau | Tryggvi Hlinason / Darrun Hilliard |
| UCAM Murcia | Murcia | Sito Alonso | David DeJulius / Jonah Radebaugh |
| Unicaja | Málaga | Txus Vidorreta | Willy Hernangómez / Ignas Brazdeikis |
| Valencia Basket | Valencia | Xavi Albert | Kameron Taylor / TJ Shorts |
Updated naming rights
- Hiopos Lleida → iLERNA Lleida
- Baxi Manresa → Kids&Us Manresa
- San Pablo Burgos → Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos
Sponsorship changes do not alter clubs' sporting identity, but they do shape official communication and external perception. In a market where naming rights change frequently, coverage must always verify the current official name before publishing.
Title favourites
- Real Madrid: reset under Pedro Martínez after a trophy-less season despite leading the regular season. Jaime Pradilla joins; Luwawu-Cabarrot stays. EuroLeague double schedule.
- Valencia Basket: defend the title without Jean Montero (Olympiacos). TJ Shorts reinforcement. Favourite status intact.
- Barça: centenary year with Sekulić in charge. Roster rebuild after exits of Satoransky, Laprovittola, Willy and Clyburn.
- Kosner Baskonia: Copa champions without Trent Forrest or Luwawu-Cabarrot. Paolo Galbiati consolidates the project.
The favourite block is not homogeneous. Madrid arrive with urgency after a frustrating season; Valencia with continuity but without Montero; Barça with uncertainty after a deep rebuild; and Baskonia with Copa confidence but without two pieces that sustained their attack.
Real Madrid carry the label of a team that must redeem itself. Pedro Martínez inherits a squad that won the regular season and fell in the quarter-finals, with added EuroLeague pressure. Jaime Pradilla brings youth and interior versatility; Luwawu-Cabarrot remains the scoring reference. The question is not whether they have talent, but whether they can sustain performance in May.
Valencia Basket defend the title with Xavi Albert on the bench and TJ Shorts as Montero's replacement. Kameron Taylor and Sergio de Larrea keep the champion core. Losing the Playoff MVP hurts, but the club has shown adaptability in recent years.
Barça live their centenary year with a rebuilding project. Sekulić arrives to stamp his mark on a roster without the veteran pieces that sustained the 2025-26 finals run. Nebo and Nkamhoua sketch a more physical interior profile; the uncertainty lies in playmaking and bench depth.
Kosner Baskonia try to carry Copa momentum into the league without Forrest or Luwawu-Cabarrot. Galbiati has consolidated his authority on the bench and Chris Duarte emerges as the perimeter reference. In EuroLeague, the challenge is staying competitive with a more limited roster than the three major Spanish sides.
Semi-final contenders
- UCAM Murcia: Sito Alonso continuity and a competitive BCL block.
- La Laguna Tenerife: the 2025-26 revelation seeks to confirm its leap.
- Asisa Joventut: Supercopa host; Laprovittola strengthens perimeter play.
UCAM Murcia keep Sito Alonso's stability and a block combining European experience (BCL) with defensive solidity. DeJulius and Radebaugh remain the engine; the ceiling depends on managing the dual schedule.
La Laguna Tenerife arrive after eliminating Madrid in the quarter-finals with Jaka Lakovič on the bench. Huertas brings leadership and experience; Kyle Guy strengthens perimeter shooting. The question is whether they can repeat that level without the surprise factor.
Asisa Joventut combine Badalona home court with Laprovittola's arrival and Ricky Rubio's presence. Daniel Miret leads a project aiming to confirm its return to the upper tier after years of transition.
Playoff zone (5-8)
- Surne Bilbao: Hlinason as interior reference and BCL European presence.
- Unicaja: bet on Willy Hernangómez and Txus Vidorreta's return after missing Playoffs.
- FIATC Girona: Mac McClung as main media and sporting draw.
Surne Bilbao lean on Tryggvi Hlinason, the league's rebounding leader, and Jaume Ponsarnau's continuity. The BCL adds demand but also international experience.
Unicaja face a reaction season after missing the Playoffs at 17-17. Willy Hernangómez's return and Txus Vidorreta's comeback send a clear message: the club will not accept mediocrity. Brazdeikis adds shooting and versatility.
FIATC Girona bet on Mac McClung as star and Moncho Fernández as development guarantee. The goal is to consolidate the Playoff zone with a young, vertical team profile.
Mid-table
- Leyma Coruña: second ACB year after promotion.
- Monbus Obradoiro: stable transition project.
- Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos: EuroCup presence with Samar and Cancar.
Leyma Coruña face their second ACB season with Alonzo Verge Jr. as reference. Carles Marco must prove promotion was not circumstantial.
Monbus Obradoiro keep a transition project with Leo Meindl as franchise player. Survival is the minimum target in an arena that demands competitiveness.
Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos combine EuroCup with a roster boosted by Žiga Samar and Vlatko Cancar. Porfirio Fisac leads a team aiming to move beyond mid-table.
Relegation battle
- iLERNA Lleida: dramatic 2025-26 survival; Batemon and Kuath as pillars.
- Casademont Zaragoza: survival on the final round; Yusta as reference.
- MoraBanc Andorra: consolidation season under Žan Tabak.
- Río Breogán: Francis Alonso leads a survival project in Lugo.
iLERNA Lleida salvó la categoría con un final épico y llega con Batemon y Kuath como pilares. Gerard Encuin necesita convertir la emotividad del tramo final en consistencia desde septiembre.
Casademont Zaragoza depended on the final round to stay up. Santiago Yusta remains the offensive reference for a club that cannot afford another dramatic finish.
MoraBanc Andorra face a consolidation season with Žan Tabak and James Akinjo as the base. The goal is to move away from relegation danger as early as possible.
Río Breogán lean on Francis Alonso and Luis Casimiro's experience. Lugo need a solid start to avoid being trapped in the bottom zone from the first month.
Summer 2026-27 market (verified)
The 2026-27 summer market has not been a transfer tsunami, but it has moved pieces that reorder the internal hierarchy of several contenders. Coaching changes have been as relevant as player signings: Madrid, Valencia, Barça, Unicaja and Tenerife open the season with new coaches or in a different phase.
The transfer window confirms a trend of recent years: the big clubs do not rebuild from scratch, they adjust pieces around a core. What stands out this summer is how many benches changed at clubs with real ambitions, suggesting presidents want a new push rather than a roster revolution.
Coaching changes
| Coach | Club | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pedro Martínez | Real Madrid | Confirmed |
| Xavi Albert | Valencia Basket | Confirmed |
| Aleksander Sekulić | Barça | Confirmed |
| Txus Vidorreta | Unicaja | Confirmed |
| Jaka Lakovič | La Laguna Tenerife | Confirmed |
Five benches in the upper tier or with European ambitions change hands. That implies tactical adaptation periods that can shape the season opening and how the first months are read.
Real Madrid
In: Jaime Pradilla, Tim Luwawu-Cabarrot, Jantunen, Shulga, Sarr.
Out: Mario Hezonja (NBA), Trey Lyles, Omer Yurtseven.
Hezonja's departure, regular-season MVP, is the most significant loss. Pradilla returns for youth and versatility; Luwawu-Cabarrot stays as scoring reference. Madrid's market points to balance rather than star power.
Barça
In: Olivier Nkamhoua, Josh Nebo, Robinson, Agustín Ubal, Gibson.
Out: Tomás Satoransky, Facundo Laprovittola, Willy Hernangómez, Will Clyburn.
Retirement: Jan Vesely.
Barça execute the biggest summer overhaul among the big clubs. The exits of Satoransky, Laprovittola, Willy and Clyburn remove the veteran core that sustained the 2025-26 finals run. Nebo and Nkamhoua sketch a more athletic interior profile; Ubal represents the academy bet.
Valencia Basket
In: TJ Shorts, Osetkowski, Gueye, Corbalán.
Confirmed out: Jean Montero (Olympiacos). Jaime Pradilla sale hacia Madrid.
Montero leaves for Olympiacos after being Final Playoff MVP; Shorts arrives to fill the creative point-guard role. The operation defines Valencia's summer: replacing the most disruptive player of the final stretch with an experienced league playmaker.
Other notable moves
- Unicaja: Willy Hernangómez, Hunt, Ignas Brazdeikis
- Asisa Joventut: Facundo Laprovittola, Ellis
- FIATC Girona: Mac McClung
Unicaja pull off the most high-profile signing outside the big four with Willy Hernangómez's return. Joventut add Laprovittola after his Barça exit. Girona bet on McClung as sporting and media draw.
2026-27 European competitions
The European calendar shapes rotations, injuries, postponements and ACB performance from October. In practice, double or triple competition separates clubs that can absorb wear from those depending on a short rotation.
That gap usually shows in February: more postponements, more forced star minutes and more midweek dips. ACB coverage must always cross domestic performance with each club's European schedule.
EuroLeague (starts 24 September 2026)
Real Madrid, Barça, Kosner Baskonia, Valencia Basket.
Spain's four EuroLeague representatives face maximum continental demand. Madrid and Valencia start with title ambitions; Barça with uncertainty after the rebuild; Baskonia needing to prove the Copa was not an isolated peak. Managing minutes for Llull, Taylor, Duarte and each roster's stars will be key to ACB performance.
EuroCup
La Laguna Tenerife, Kids&Us Manresa, Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos.
Three Spanish clubs in the EuroCup with different goals: Tenerife seek to confirm their leap; Manresa aim to compete in a familiar tournament; Burgos open a new phase with Samar and Cancar as references. The EuroCup demands travel and midweek games, but with less intensity than EuroLeague.
Basketball Champions League
Asisa Joventut, Surne Bilbao, UCAM Murcia, Unicaja.
La BCL concin a cuatro clubes con perfil competitivo en ACB. Unicaja, con Willy Hernangómez, buscará usar la competición como trampolín hacia la zona alta de la liga. Joventut, Bilbao y Murcia combinan experiencia europea con plantillas ajustadas.
FIBA Europe Cup and BCL qualifying
- FIBA Europe Cup: FIATC Girona
- Río Breogán: ronda previa BCL
Girona play the FIBA Europe Cup alongside their McClung bet. Breogán must clear BCL qualifying to add a European schedule to their season.
Editorial impact
The four EuroLeague teams carry a triple load. BCL and EuroCup sides must manage weeks with up to three fixtures. Track postponements, star minutes and ACB performance after international travel. A team that wins in EuroLeague but loses in ACB the following Sunday deserves specific analysis, not just the isolated result.
Liga U and youth pipeline
The youth pipeline remains Spanish basketball's differential asset. Liga U offers a showcase for young talent and several ACB clubs bet on homegrown players to complement senior rosters.
Liga U 2026-27
- Start: 25 September 2026
- Final Six: 13-16 May 2027
- Teams: 14 (in Monbus Obradoiro; out Gran Canaria y Granada)
ACB prospects to watch
| Player | Club | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sergio de Larrea | Valencia Basket | 2025 Supercopa MVP |
| Jaime Pradilla | Real Madrid | Return after Valencia stint |
| Agustín Ubal | Barça | Sekulić project prospect |
| Mac McClung | FIATC Girona | Media and sporting draw |
| Manex Ansorregi | Surne Bilbao | Basque academy talent |
De Larrea and Pradilla head the list of young players with immediate impact at elite clubs. Ubal represents Barça's academy bet in a rebuild year. Ansorregi is the name to watch in Bilbao's Basque pipeline.
Projected 2026-27 hierarchy
The pre-season hierarchy is not definitive, but it is instructive. Title favourites start with roster, budget and European experience; the Playoff zone promises a wide, competitive block; and survival will be fought among four clubs that already know relegation pressure.
| Tier | Teams |
|---|---|
| Title favourites | Real Madrid, Valencia Basket, Barça, Kosner Baskonia |
| Semi-final contenders | UCAM Murcia, La Laguna Tenerife, Asisa Joventut |
| Playoffs (5-8) | Surne Bilbao, Unicaja, FIATC Girona |
| Mid-table | Leyma Coruña, Monbus Obradoiro, Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos |
| Relegation battle | iLERNA Lleida, Casademont Zaragoza, MoraBanc Andorra, Río Breogán |
La tabla puede variar tras el arranque y la Supercopa, pero dibuja un mapa en el que siete u ocho equipos tienen opciones reales de inr en Playoffs y cuatro pelean por evitar el descenso desde el primer mes.
Season storylines
The big 2026-27 stories are already underway before the first regular-season ball. These ten will shape weekly coverage and set the league's pulse in national and international media.
Valencia without Montero, but with Shorts
Valencia defend the title without Jean Montero, moved to Olympiacos after being Final Playoff MVP. TJ Shorts' arrival targets the creative void, but the editorial question is different: can the champions sustain their identity without their most disruptive player down the stretch?
Kameron Taylor and Sergio de Larrea keep the core of the team that lifted the trophy at Palau Blaugrana. Xavi Albert, in his first full season as champion head coach, must prove Montero's exit does not dismantle the machinery. The Supercopa will be the first exam.
Real Madrid reset
Pedro Martínez arrives at a Madrid side that finished 26-8 in the regular season without trophies. Jaime Pradilla's arrival and Luwawu-Cabarrot's continuity sketch a more balanced interior project, but the demand is immediate: turn regular-season dominance into trophies in a EuroLeague that punishes inconsistency.
The quarter-final elimination against Tenerife left a wound the club must close. Sergio Llull remains the locker-room moral reference; the question is whether the new coaching staff can extract more in decisive moments.
Centenary Barça in rebuild mode
The centenary year arrives with Sekulić in charge and a roster without Satoransky, Laprovittola, Willy Hernangómez or Clyburn. Barça do not start as clear favourites, but their institutional weight and academy capacity turn any progress into national narrative.
The Supercopa semi-final against Valencia will be the first thermometer. If Barça compete at maximum level with a renewed roster, the rebuild is validated before October. If not, debate about the project's direction will intensify.
Valencia-Barça rematch in the Supercopa
The 19 September semi-final anticipates the duel many expected in May. It is the season's first major game and, for both sides, a measure of their real ceiling before the regular season starts.
Psychology matters: Valencia arrive as champions; Barça as frustrated finalists. The winner takes moral advantage into the league opening and EuroLeague.
Post-Copa Baskonia
Kosner Baskonia arrive with Copa momentum after 17 years, but without Trent Forrest or Luwawu-Cabarrot. Paolo Galbiati must prove the project is more than one historic night in Valencia.
Chris Duarte and DJ Stewart take on more offensive responsibility. In EuroLeague, Baskonia need to stay competitive with a more limited roster than Madrid, Valencia or Barça.
Unicaja with Willy and Vidorreta
After missing the Playoffs at 17-17, Unicaja bet on Willy Hernangómez and Txus Vidorreta's return. The goal is clear: return to the upper tier and recover the status the club associates with its history.
Málaga will not tolerate another mediocre season. Willy brings interior presence and leadership; Brazdeikis, shooting and versatility. The BCL can help if the team manage the dual schedule well.
Mac McClung at Girona
FIATC Girona add not only talent but media attention. Mac McClung can raise the team's ceiling, but also changes external expectations on a club aiming to consolidate in the Playoff zone.
Moncho Fernández has experience with individual-star projects. The challenge is integrating McClung without unbalancing the collective system Girona have built in recent years.
Copa del Rey race
The round-17 cut turns the first half into a parallel competition. Mid-table teams cannot afford a poor start if they want to be in Valencia in February.
The Copa is the fairy-tale tournament and the opportunity for clubs not fighting for the title. A team stacking losses in January may see its Copa window close before the tournament even starts.
Relegation battle en Lleida, Zaragoza y Andorra
Lleida, Zaragoza and Andorra kept their place in 2025-26 with drama or on the final round. In 2026-27, survival cannot depend on miracles again: the margin for error will be minimal.
The three clubs share a pattern: they arrive with last season's lesson but no guarantees. Granada and Gran Canaria's relegation shows history protects no one.
Triple European load
Madrid, Barça, Baskonia and Valencia take on EuroLeague and league without concessions. That triple load defines who arrives fresh in May and who accumulates wear in the decisive ACB stretch.
Rotation management will be the season's recurring theme. A coach who leaves EuroLeague on Thursday and loses in ACB the following Sunday is not necessarily failing: they may be prioritising the competition that adds most value. Coverage should contextualise, not just judge.
Final reading
2026-27 does not promise a revolution at the top, but a league with more mid-table pressure, a rebuilding Barça with historical weight and a Madrid obliged to turn regular-season dominance into titles. Coverage should read every round in two dimensions: immediate result and the wear the path leaves behind.
Valencia start as champions with the unknown of life without Montero. Madrid as moral favourites with redemption urgency. Barça as a project under construction with centenary weight. And Baskonia as the team that must prove the Copa was the start of an era, not its peak.
In the middle of the table, Unicaja, Tenerife and Joventut aim to disrupt. In the bottom zone, Lleida, Zaragoza, Andorra and Breogán know relegation is real again. The 2026-27 Liga Endesa promises a demanding, balanced season with enough storylines to sustain coverage from Badalona in September to the May final.