New rules or their interpretations will apply not only in the EuroLeague but also in the EuroCup and the inaugural EuroLeague Supercup taking place this weekend, where four teams will compete.
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EuroLeague introduced rule changes:
- Shooting phase: a jump shot or other shot in motion now starts the moment the player begins to raise their shoulders and the ball towards the basket; for the shot to count, the player must have crossed the midcourt line. Driving to the basket is evaluated separately: the shooting phase usually starts between the three-point line and the basket when the player grabs the ball and continues the shooting motion until the release;
- The new guidelines also discuss specific situations: contact during a “rip-through” (a sudden hand movement holding the ball sideways past an opponent) is always treated as a foul outside the shooting phase, not as a shooting foul; contact with the shooter’s hand at the end of the shooting motion (“follow-through”) is considered legal only if it is slight and occurs cleanly after the ball has been released (contact with the side of the palm, wrist, hand, or body is always considered a foul); furthermore, if a defender steps into the space where the shooting player lands and the shooter’s foot lands on the defender’s foot, this is now treated as a flagrant foul, not as the previously applied unsportsmanlike foul;
- Technical fouls are now divided into two categories. Category 1 fouls count towards disqualification from the game; they include disrespectful communication, provoking the opponent, limiting player visibility, and simulating fouls. Category 2 fouls do not count towards disqualification; they include delaying the game, hanging on the rim after a dunk, and illegal ball blocking (“goaltending”) when defending the last free throw;
- The unsportsmanlike foul has been changed into two separate types of fouls. A “disruptive foul” includes contact that interrupts the flow of the game and gives the opponent an advantage but is not severe enough to be considered flagrant (e.g., a foul to stop a fast break or to stop the clock at the end of a quarter). A flagrant foul includes contact that is not a legal basketball action or is careless, aggressive, or dangerous. Both fouls carry the same penalty as the previously applied unsportsmanlike foul, but only the flagrant foul counts towards disqualification;
- A player is disqualified after receiving two Category 1 technical fouls, two flagrant fouls, or one of each type. The head coach is disqualified after receiving two personal Category 1 technical fouls or three Category 1 technical fouls related to the behavior of the substitute bench (whether all three are assigned to the bench or one of them is personally to the coach).
Other rules important to remember for the upcoming season:
It is emphasized that these are not innovations for the 2026–2027 season but EuroLeague-adapted rules that differ from standard FIBA rules and are mostly applied when disputing referees’ decisions:
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- Defensive semicircle: if a help defender stands in the semicircle in front of the basket and does not jump vertically upwards while defending, they will be called for a foul if an offensive player jumps into the semicircle from outside and collides with them in the air. An exception applies if the offensive player was not airborne during contact, caught the ball while inside the semicircle, or attacked with foot, knee, or elbow;
- Coaches’ requests to review an episode (“challenge”): head coaches have the right to two such requests per game but lose one if not used within the first 38 minutes. A request can be made at any time during the game for any situation included in the video review system (IRS) review list, except one case: coaches cannot challenge which player committed the foul. Referees can review the episode themselves to clarify the player who committed the foul and correct a possible recording error, but the coach cannot initiate such a specific review.
- The head coach will be automatically disqualified if they or any other person from the team’s substitute bench list enters the court and interferes with the opponent’s attack;
- Referees will no longer issue warnings before assigning a technical foul for inappropriate behavior or simulation (flopping). Warnings remain only for delaying the game;
- Fights: in case of fights, substitute players, players ejected from the game, and other persons on the bench are prohibited from entering the court. They will not be automatically disqualified if they intervene to help restore order, provided video review confirms they did not participate in the conflict itself;
- Signing the protocol with a protest: only the head coach can sign the game protocol with a protest; this must be done at the first game stoppage after the disputed decision. If the head coach has already been disqualified, this responsibility is taken over by the assistant coach;
- Jump ball: games and overtimes start with a jump ball at midcourt. Later, the team that did not get the first ball possession at the start of the game starts the second and third quarters by putting the ball into play, while the team that first gained possession puts it into play at the start of the fourth quarter. Players are allowed to run along the baseline to pass the ball. The jump ball between the two closest opponents is also used in several specific situations, such as a double free throw violation or overturning a knocked ball decision when no team controlled the ball during the violation.
