FIBA’s EuroLeague Women, commonly regarded as one of the world’s top international basketball competitions, returns for the 2024-25 season. Group play will begin this Tuesday, October 8, and will continue through late January 2025. The EuroLeague Women postseason will then begin in February, with the competition championship being held on Sunday, April 13.
For the next few months, Swish Appeal will be bringing you weekly EuroLeague Women coverage, including game times, links to live game streams, and of course, the players you should be following. For now, here’s a quick refresher on the EuroLeague Women basics, with a focus on which WNBA and WNBA-adjacent players will be competing this winter.
What is EuroLeague Women?
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EuroLeague Women is an annual international basketball event held by FIBA. It features 16 of Europe’s top basketball teams from all over the continent, typically playing an extensive regular season spanning several months before competing for the EuroLeague Women Championship, which is held in a bracket format.
Why should I follow EuroLeague Women?
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An excellent question!
EuroLeague Women boasts perhaps the highest level of competition of any international women’s basketball event. Some of the best clubs in Europe compete, beginning with a preseason qualifying round that determine the final three contending teams. While there typically is a handful of teams that are clear favorites to win the competition, the level of play during the event is generally considered to be tops in Europe.
Not only is EuroLeague Women great basketball, it’s also easily accessible. From a dedicated and aesthetically pleasing FIBA website containing the league rulebook and a news section to keep you up to date to a YouTube channel that has free live streams of every EuroLeague Women game, the competition is easy to follow, even if you can’t watch the games live. Following your favorite WNBA players overseas can be a challenge, but for those competing in EuroLeague Women, video, stats and news are easily attainable.
Who competes in EuroLeague Women?
Here is the list of the teams competing in the 2024-25 EuroLeague Women season, along with players WNBA and American basketball fans may be familiar with (per the official FIBA website). Keep in mind that midseason acquisitions and transfers are common, and that this list is by no means final; also note that the competition will be moving from a two-group system to a four-group system for the 2024-25 season.
Group A
Beretta Famila Schio (Italy) — Kitija Laksa, Jasmine Keys, Janelle Salaün
Basket Landes (France) — Destiny Slocum, Leïla Lacan
DVTK HUN-Therm Miskolc (Hungary) — Kaila Charles, Aleksa Gulbe
Perfumerias Avenida (Spain) — Arella Guirantes, Sika Koné, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Arica Carter
Group B
Tango Bourges Basket (France) — Amy Okonkwo, Morgan Green, Kariata Diaby
Žabiny Brno (Czech Republic) — Elissa Cunane
Olympiacos B.C. (Greece) — Kyra Lambert, Rebecca Tobin
CBK Mersin (Turkey) — Marine Johannès, Natasha Howard, Karlie Samuelson, Yvonne Anderson, Iliana Rupert, Marine Fauthoux, Regan Magarity
Group C
Villeneuve-d’Ascq LM (France) — Shavonte Zellous, Kelsey Bone, Carla Leite, Maïa Hirsch
Casademont Zaragoza (Spain) — Markeisha Gatling, Helena Pueyo, Tanaya Atkinson, Stephanie Mawuli
KGHM BC Polkowice (Poland) — Alexis Peterson, Amanda Zahui B., Rennia Davis, Emma Cannon
Fenerbahçe Opet (Turkey) — Ariel Atkins, Emma Meesseman, Tina Charles, Gabby Williams, Julie Allemand, Nikolina Milic, Sevgi Uzun
Group D
Valencia Basket Club (Spain) — Alina Iagupova, Stephanie Mavunga, Kayla Alexander, Yvonne Turner, Raquel Carrera, Leticia Romero, Alba Torrens
UNI Győr (Hungary) — Cyesha Goree
Umana Reyer Venezia (Italy) — Awak Kuier, Lorela Cubaj, Kamiah Smalls
ZVVZ USK Praha (Czech Republic) — Ezi Magbegor, Brionna Jones, Isabelle Harrison, Maite Cazorla, Valeriane Ayayi, Maria Conde, Emese Hof
How do I watch EuroLeague Women?
All EuroLeague Women games will be streamed for free on FIBA’s EuroLeague Women YouTube channel. The games will be archived in case you miss them. FIBA also usually posts highlights of the games on the channel, as does the league’s X/Twitter account.
