The NBA’s European strategy is moving beyond occasional international games. Following a regular-season appearance in London earlier this year, the league has confirmed another game in Manchester and is continuing work with FIBA on a proposed professional competition based in Europe.
The plans place the United Kingdom within a wider network of European basketball markets that also includes France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. London and Manchester have both been identified as important cities in the project, although the ownership groups and final locations for the proposed teams have not yet been confirmed.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, no European game or place in the proposed competition has been announced. However, the development remains relevant to a franchise with a large international following and a business model that places greater emphasis on global partnerships.
Manchester Will Host the NBA’s Next UK Game
The NBA returned to London in January when the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies played at The O2. It was the league’s first game in the United Kingdom since 2019 and formed part of a multiyear series of European regular-season fixtures.
The next UK game is scheduled for January 2027, when the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs will meet at Co-op Live in Manchester. The same teams are also set to play in Paris during the same European trip.
Manchester has previously hosted an NBA preseason game, but the Pelicans-Spurs fixture will be the city’s first regular-season contest. The league has described the choice of Manchester and Paris as a reflection of basketball’s momentum in the United Kingdom, France, and the wider European market.
Further European games are planned for Berlin and Paris in 2028. These fixtures remain separate from the proposed NBA Europe competition, but they give the league regular access to major cities while the longer-term project is developed.
Britain Is Part of the Proposed League Structure
The NBA and FIBA began formally exploring a new European men’s league in 2025. The proposed model would combine permanent participants with places available through a merit-based qualification route connected to FIBA competitions.
Plans discussed by league officials have included London and Manchester among the possible locations. Other cities under consideration include Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Munich, Berlin, Athens, and Istanbul.
The competition would be designed to operate alongside domestic leagues and national-team schedules. That differs from the closed structure used by the NBA in North America, where the same franchises compete each season without qualification through lower competitions.
Discussions have involved current basketball organizations, prospective ownership groups, arena operators, and commercial partners. No final list of participants has been released, and the NBA has not confirmed whether the British places would involve existing clubs, newly created teams, or organizations connected to other sports.
The UK Market Extends Beyond Arena Attendance
Regular-season games provide a visible measure of British interest in the NBA, but the league’s commercial position in the country is also shaped by media access, merchandise, social platforms, and digital entertainment. Supporters who cannot attend a game in London or Manchester can still follow teams throughout the season and participate in basketball culture from a distance.
The United Kingdom also has established regulations governing various aspects of its adult digital entertainment sector. One company operating within this separate regulated market is MrQ Casino, which holds a Gambling Commission license for Great Britain. There is no announced relationship between MrQ, the NBA, the Lakers, or the proposed European league.
The distinction matters because an expansion in basketball audiences does not mean that every entertainment company engaging British consumers operates under the same rules. Sports broadcasting, gaming, advertising, and online casino activity are governed by different legal and commercial frameworks.
For the NBA, building a sustained European presence, therefore, involves more than staging games. The league must work within national systems governing venues, media, commercial agreements, and consumer-facing activity in every market it enters.
Proposed Competition Moves Toward a Launch Window
Reuters reported in June that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the European competition remained on schedule for a possible October 2027 launch. The model described by league officials includes permanent teams and additional places determined through qualification.
The NBA has been working on the project with FIBA, basketball’s international governing body. That cooperation is intended to place the new competition within the existing European basketball structure rather than separating participating teams from their domestic leagues and national programs.
Negotiations with EuroLeague interests have also formed part of the process. EuroLeague is currently the leading multinational club competition in European men’s basketball, and several of its established organizations operate in cities being considered for NBA Europe.
The final relationship between the proposed league and existing competitions has not been settled publicly. Franchise selection, ownership rules, venues, scheduling, and media arrangements remain among the issues requiring formal confirmation.
Government Investment Adds a Participation Element
The NBA’s UK activity is not limited to professional games. The league and the British government previously announced investment intended to expand recreational basketball opportunities in England.
The initiative covers the development of basketball courts and increased access for groups that have faced barriers to participation. Women, girls, people with disabilities, and ethnic minority communities were identified among the intended beneficiaries.
That work gives the European strategy a grassroots component alongside professional fixtures and commercial planning. A permanent competition, based partly in Britain, would require a broader basketball ecosystem that includes players, coaches, officials, venues, and local organizations.
FIBA and the NBA have also stated that the proposed league would direct resources towards domestic competitions, club academies, and programs for developing players, coaches, and referees. The practical details will depend on the final structure and the organizations selected to participate.
Lakers Have Strengthened Their Global Business Team
The Lakers have made their own changes as international commercial opportunities grow. In 2026, the franchise appointed Yao Williams II as vice president and head of global partnerships. His responsibilities include partnership sales, business solutions, and activation across the Lakers’ international operations.
Ryan Kantor was also hired for a newly created global partnerships role. The Lakers stated that his work would involve sponsorship revenue strategy and new business opportunities in domestic and international markets.
Those appointments do not connect the Lakers directly to NBA Europe. They do show that the franchise is building an organizational structure designed to manage a worldwide audience and a wider range of international relationships.
The Lakers are among the NBA teams with recognition far beyond their home market. Their history, championship record, and association with prominent players have given the franchise visibility across Europe, even when it is not one of the teams selected for an international fixture.
A European competition could increase general engagement with NBA basketball, but it would not place existing NBA franchises into the new league under the model currently being discussed. The European teams would have their own identities, locations, and ownership arrangements.
London and Manchester Serve Different Roles
London has a long history of hosting NBA games and remains one of Europe’s largest media and commercial centers. The O2 has hosted previous regular-season fixtures and provides the league with a familiar venue for major international events.
Manchester represents a different stage of the UK strategy. The city has a substantial sporting identity, a modern indoor arena, and a regional audience beyond London. Its inclusion in the European schedule broadens the NBA’s physical presence in England rather than concentrating every event in the capital.
The planned game between the Pelicans and Spurs will provide another indication of how the league approaches events outside London. Community activities, youth basketball programs, and commercial events have regularly accompanied NBA games held abroad.
Both cities have also appeared in discussions surrounding possible NBA Europe teams. Their inclusion is not final, and no team names, owners, or home venues have been formally awarded.
Several Decisions Remain Pending
The NBA and FIBA still need to complete the selection process for permanent participants and establish the qualification mechanism for the remaining places. Agreements covering governance, scheduling, media distribution, and relations with existing competitors must also be finalized.
The league has indicated that prospective teams and ownership groups have shown substantial interest. Formal announcements will determine whether the targeted launch window remains achievable and which British cities are included in the first season.
Before that process is completed, Manchester is scheduled to host the Pelicans and Spurs in January 2027. The game is the next confirmed step in the NBA’s UK calendar, while the proposed European league remains under development.
