The Balkan International Basketball League (BIBL), also known as the Balkan League and as the Delasport BIBL Balkan League for sponsorship reasons, was a multinational professional basketball league featuring clubs primarily from the Balkans. The league included teams from countries such as Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Cyprus, and Israel. The last BIBL champion was Sigal Prishtina from Kosovo.
The purpose of the BIBL was to provide competitive international play for clubs in the Balkans that might otherwise be unable to participate in international basketball. The league achieved this by providing financial support to all participating clubs to offset the costs associated with international competition. Notably, the league was also the first international league of its kind to include teams from Kosovo.
Format After the 2017–2018 season, the Balkan International Basketball League introduced a new, simplified competition format. Under this format, the competition typically features between 6 and 8 teams. The tournament is divided into two phases: the regular season, where all participating teams play each other in a double round-robin format, both home and away. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the first- and second-placed teams automatically qualify for the Final Four. The third-placed team plays the sixth-placed team, and the fourth-placed team plays the fifth-placed team in home-and-away games to determine which teams will advance to the Final Four. The winning teams from these matchups then advance to the Final Four to compete for that season's BIBL Balkan League championship.
Additionally, at the start of the 2020–2021 season, 12 teams from Israel participated in the league to ensure access to competitive games during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Championships Season Host Champion Result Runner-up Arena 2008–09 Samokov Rilski Sportist 84–77 Feršped Rabotnički Arena Samokov 2009–10 Sofia Levski Sofia 77–65 Lovćen Universiada Hall 2010–11 Kavadarci Feni Industries 88–75 Rilski Sportist Jasmin Sports Hall 2011–12 Gan Ner Hapoel Gilboa Galil 89–84 Levski Sofia Gan Ner Sports Hall 2012–13 Samokov Hapoel Gilboa Galil 87–79 Levski Sofia Arena Samokov 2013–14 Pristina Levski Sofia 75–69 Hapoel Gilboa Galil Pallati i Rinisë dhe Sporteve 2014–15 Pristina Samokov Sigal Prishtina 74−7280–71 Rilski Sportist Pallati i Rinisë dhe SporteveArena Samokov 2015–16 Pristina Bar Sigal Prishtina 82−6868−75 Mornar Pallati i Rinisë dhe SporteveSportska dvorana Topolica 2016–17 Stara Zagora Kumanovo Beroe 84−5577−73 Kumanovo Obshtinska zala Ivan VazovSports Hall Kumanovo 2017–18 Samokov Levski Sofia 83−72 Bashkimi Arena Samokov 2018–19 Tirana Blokotehna 82–68 Teuta Feti Borova Sport Hall 2019–20 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2020–21 Holon Hapoel Holon 91–75 Academic Plovdiv Holon Toto Hall 2021–22 Nahariya Hapoel Galil Elyon 86–70 Maccabi Haifa Ein Sara Sport Hall 2022–23 Stara Zagora Hapoel Be'er Sheva/Dimona 99−95 Peja Obshtinska zala Ivan Vazov 2023–24 Limassol Sigal Prishtina 72−67 PAYABL EKA AEL Nicos Solomonides Arena
Titles by club Club Championships Runner-ups Championship years 1 Sigal Prishtina 3 — 2014–15, 2015–16, 2023−24 2 Levski Sofia 3 2 2009–10, 2013–14, 2017–18 3 Hapoel Gilboa Galil 2 1 2011–12, 2012–13 4 Rilski Sportist 1 2 2008–09 5 Feni Industries 1 — 2010–11 Beroe 2016–17 Blokotehna 2018–19 Hapoel Holon 2020–21 Hapoel Galil Elyon 2021–22 Hapoel Be'er Sheva/Dimona 2022–23 10 Feršped Rabotnički — 1 Lovćen Mornar Kumanovo Bashkimi Teuta Academic Plovdiv Maccabi Haifa Peja PAYABL EKA AEL
Titles by country Country Championships Runner-ups Championship years 1 5 5 2008–09, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18 2 5 2 2011–12, 2012–13, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23 3 3 2 2014–15, 2015-16, 2023–24 4 2 2 2011-12, 2018-19 5 — 2 6 — 1 7 — 1
Clubs (2023-24 season) TeamArenaCapacityCountryAEL Limassol B.C.Nicos Solomonides Arena2,500Sigal PrishtinaPallati I Rinise Dhe Sportheve2,800KK Lovćen 1947Sportski Center Cetinje1,500KK PljevljaSport Cener Ada3,500KB PejaKarakaci Arena2,500
References
External links BIBL Official Website Eurobasket.com League Page BallinEurope.com Article