Azerbaijan Basketball League announces changes for 2026/27 season

The main changes to be introduced in the Azerbaijan Basketball League (ABL) for the 2026/27 season have been announced.

Speaking to Report, Sanan Aliyev, head of the press service of the Azerbaijan Basketball Federation, said the main change would be the introduction of a single eight-team championship.

"There will no longer be A and B groups. Starting this season, the team finishing last in the competition will be relegated to ABL-2. The team finishing first in the lower league will earn promotion to the top division," Aliyev said.

He added that the championship will consist of three rounds.

"This is also an innovation. This season, four of our clubs will compete in European competitions. This is a novelty for Azerbaijani basketball," Aliyev said.

He noted that the start date of ABL-2 has not yet been determined. The federation is also planning to organize a women's tournament, although its schedule has not yet been finalized.

The new ABL season will open with a match between reigning champions Sabah and last season's silver medalists LANDAU Lions. The game will take place on September 30 at 19:30 at the Baku Sports Palace.