Wonderleague to Maintain 12-Club Format for 2026-27 Season
The Wonderleague women's basketball championship will retain its 12-club format for the 2026-27 season, despite persistent desires from club presidents to expand to 14 teams. This proposed expansion aimed to increase home game revenues, but the federation has ultimately rejected the initiative. Audrey Lacroix, President of Basket Landes, shed light on the federation's decision, citing concerns over the financial fragility of many clubs, the current insufficient structure of the second-tier Ligue 2, and the significant logistical challenges it would pose to the league calendar.
However, significant modifications are planned for the playoff structure. The league will revert to a best-of-three series format, mirroring the structure used in the finals. A notable change in this format is the hosting arrangement: the opening game of each series will be played at the home venue of the lower-ranked team, while subsequent games, including the decisive third match, will be hosted by the higher-ranked team. This innovative approach represents a reversal of conventional playoff hosting practices. Furthermore, the 2026-27 season is scheduled to extend until the end of May, a prolonged calendar that will inevitably lead to the absence of numerous WNBA players during the latter stages of the competition.
Explaining the rationale behind this new playoff format, Audrey Lacroix remarked, "Some were complaining that the home-and-away format wasn't fair because it didn't favor the higher-ranked teams in the championship. It must be recognized that this is true."
Fresh materials β Sports News
Australia Finalizes Squad for Women's World Cup
As the French team makes gradual progress, the Australian Opals have already finalized their definitive roster for the Women's World Cup, scheduled to take place in Berlin from September 4th to 13th, 2026. Six players who earned bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be part of the
France Edges Past Slovakia to Reach U18 EuroBasket Quarter-finals
Despite not being entirely convincing in the initial group stage, the French U18 national team managed to secure their qualification for the European Championship quarter-finals. They achieved this by overcoming Slovakia with a hard-fought 72-60 victory, although the win was not without its la
EuroCup 2026-2027 Season Schedule Revealed
Following the EuroLeague, the EuroCup has unveiled its complete 2026-2027 season schedule. The new format promises a total of 224 regular season games, running from Tuesday, September 29, 2026, to Wednesday, January 13, 2027, with an additional 45 playoff encounters possible. Thirty-two te
Nanterre Completes Roster with German Champion J'Wan Roberts
Nanterre 92 has successfully filled its roster for the 2026-2027 season, with July not yet over. Following the signings of Xavier Castaneda and Devin McGlockton, the Hauts-de-Seine club has announced its third and final acquisition: American big man J'Wan Roberts. After concluding his fiv
Marine Fauthoux Signs with Galatasaray, Joining Janelle SalaΓΌn
Marine Fauthoux will indeed be playing in Turkey. After being sidelined for the entire 2025-2026 season due to a knee injury, she will join her fellow French player Janelle SalaΓΌn at Galatasaray next season. The Turkish club officially confirmed the news, which had been circulating for a month,
OrlΓ©ans Basketball Club Poised for American Investment
OrlΓ©ans Loiret Basket may be on the cusp of a significant transformation. A municipal council meeting scheduled for Monday, April 13th, will determine the fate of the club's sale to a consortium of three American investors: Ben Jenkins, Matt Hong, and Jamie Zaninovich. Several of their associa