FIBA has officially announced the six-team lineup for the 2026 Intercontinental Cup, which will move to Beijing, China, for the first time in the competition’s history.
The competition will take place from September 22 to 27, with the six participating teams divided into two groups of three. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.
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2026 Intercontinental Cup groups confirmed
Group A will feature FIBA Champions League winner Rytas Vilnius, Chinese champion Shanghai Sharks and Basketball Africa League champion RSSB Tigers.
Group B includes FIBA Champions League Americas winner Boca Juniors, hosts Beijing Royal Fighters and NBA G League United.
NBA G League United will return to the Intercontinental Cup after reaching the championship game in both 2024 and 2025. The other five teams will make their debut in the competition.
The group stage will run from September 22 to 24, followed by a rest day before the semifinals and fifth-place game on September 26. The tournament will conclude with the third-place game and championship game on September 27.
Spain and Brazil have dominated recent editions
Spanish and Brazilian clubs have dominated the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in recent years.
From 2020 through 2025, every edition was won by a team from one of the two countries. Tenerife, San Pablo Burgos, Flamengo, Lenovo Tenerife, Sesi Franca and Unicaja account for all seven titles awarded across the six-year period, with Unicaja winning the last two editions.
