The FIBA Champions League winner, Rytas Vilnius, has secured a place in the 2026 FIBA Intercontinental Cup – the strongest Vilnius sports organization will clash with the strongest clubs from other continents in this prestigious tournament.
This year’s tournament will take place in Beijing, China, where a new historical chapter of FIBA basketball will be opened.
FIBA has officially confirmed that the Intercontinental Cup will be organized in the Chinese capital from 2026 to 2028, with the first tournament in Beijing starting at the end of September 2026. This will be an elite basketball celebration where Rytas Vilnius will represent Europe and compete for the global trophy.
Among the participants of this year’s tournament, the following teams that won FIBA championship titles have secured their places:
Rytas Vilnius – FIBA Champions League winner in Europe;
Boca Juniors (Argentina) – FIBA Champions League Americas champion;
RSSB Tigers (Rwanda) – FIBA Africa Basketball League winner.
Over the decades, the FIBA Intercontinental Cup has grown into a truly global tournament, where 36 teams from six continents have already competed. Europe is a region with a historical advantage in this tournament, having won as many as 24 cups.
The participation of Rytas Vilnius in this prestigious format is a major recognition of Lithuanian basketball, providing an opportunity to compete against clubs representing different basketball philosophies.
FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis emphasized that Beijing was chosen to continue the expansion of the tournament: What started as a two-team competition has evolved into a global tournament. Together with the Chinese Basketball Association and other partners, we are confident that the event in Beijing will help create unforgettable basketball moments in 2026, 2027, and 2028.
The full list of participants will be confirmed a bit later, but it is already clear that an exceptional challenge on the international stage awaits the Rytas Vilnius basketball players at the start of the season.
More information and the official Intercontinental Cup page can be found here.