Euroleague Basketball, the organizer of Europe's elite EuroLeague club competition, has extended its partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and announced a new deal with Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Under a four-year agreement, Experience Abu Dhabi, the destination brand of DCT Abu Dhabi, and Etihad Airways will serve as main sponsors of Euroleague competitions and presenting partners of the Final Four season climax.
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The deal was brokered by international sports and entertainment agency IMG, Euroleague Basketball’s long-term commercial rights distribution partner.
Experience Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways branding will be prominently featured across games in the top-tier Euroleague and second-tier EuroCup, including in-arena signage, live broadcasts, and jersey integration across all Euroleague participating teams.
Over the four-year period, the Experience Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways logos will rotate across Euroleague team jerseys.
The partnership also extends into the digital sphere, featuring brand integration on Euroleague Basketball’s platforms and exclusive co-created content.
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By GlobalDataEarlier this year, Euroleague Basketball initially agreed a global partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi for the final three months of the 2024-25 season.
Paulius Motiejunas, Euroleague Basketball CEO, said: “We are delighted to announce these partnerships, which embody our ambition to grow the game of basketball and foster meaningful global connections through sport.
“With Experience Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways joining us, we look forward to creating unforgettable experiences for our fans while further strengthening the league’s international presence.”
Experience Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways join Motorola, Visa, BKT, Spalding, and Frutti Exra as main sponsors of the Euroleague.
The new commercial partnerships further enhance Euroleague Basketball’s growing ties to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Last season, the EuroLeague Final Four was staged in Abu Dhabi.
Last week, the league agreed a broadcast deal with Dubai Media covering the MENA region for the next five seasons as Dubai Basketball Club prepare to make their debut in the competition.
For the 2025–26 EuroLeague season, the competition has expanded to 20 teams with the regular season tipping off on September 30, as Dubai BC will make their first appearance at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai against Serbia’s Partizan Belgrade.
The season will culminate with the Final Four in Athens, Greece, from May 22–24, 2026.
