BBL (United Kingdom) 2026/27

Super League Basketball (SLB) is the top-tier professional basketball league in Great Britain, operating under a closed franchise model. It replaced the British Basketball League (BBL) in June 2024 after the BBL’s operating license was terminated due to financial instability. The SLB is run by Premier Basketball Limited, a consortium of clubs, and is recognised as Level 1 on the British basketball pyramid.

The 2025–26 season features ten teams: Bristol Flyers, Caledonia Gladiators, Cheshire Phoenix, Leicester Riders, Liverpool Basketball, London Lions, Manchester Basketball, Newcastle Eagles, Sheffield Sharks, and Surrey 89ers. Each side plays 36 regular-season games, facing every opponent four times—twice at home and twice away. The top eight clubs advance to the playoffs, where quarter-finals and semi-finals are decided over two legs, with the higher seed hosting the second match. The championship is determined by a single game at a neutral venue such as the Copper Box Arena or O2 Arena.

There is no promotion or relegation. Entry depends on financial stability, facilities, and commercial viability rather than sporting merit. The Newcastle Eagles hold the record for most titles, with seven championships across the BBL and SLB eras. London Lions are the current reigning champions, having won the 2024–25 and 2025–26 SLB titles, as well as the final BBL title in 2023–24. The league has carried several sponsor names, including Carlsberg, NatWest, Peugeot, and Budweiser.

The SLB Cup now includes teams from the semi-professional National Basketball League, creating a bridge between tiers. While the BBL operated as a fully professional closed system, the SLB maintains that structure but allows new clubs to apply for membership. The British Basketball Federation has awarded a 15-year license to the Great Britain Basketball League for the 2026–27 season, suggesting further structural adjustments in the future.