The VTB United League () is an international professional men's club basketball league that was founded in 2009. As of the 2025–26 season, it consists exclusively of Russian clubs. Since 2013, it is the first tier of Russian professional club basketball. Therefore, the highest placed Russian team in the league can also be named the Russian national champions. The league is sponsored by Russian state-owned VTB Bank. In 2009 CSKA Moscow won VTB United League Promo-Cup, but this competition does not count as official VTB title. CSKA has dominated the league, having won majority of titles its existence. The VTB United League also holds a youth competition, the VTB United Youth League.
History The first step in the creation of the league was a competition named the VTB United League Promo-Cup held in Moscow in December 2009. The final of the Promo-Cup was played on December 22, 2009, and was won by CSKA Moscow, who defeated Khimki 70–66. Kyiv ended third.
Unification with the Russian PBL In May 2012, all the Russian Professional Basketball League clubs gathered to decide which format would be used for the next season, and some club's directors raised the possibility of uniting with the VTB United League, to produce greater competition between the Russian basketball clubs. They suggested that the new league be named the Eastern European Professional Basketball League.20 clubs will play in VTB United League championship in seasone-2012/13 , vtb-league.com, May 20, 2012Triumph applied an application to participate in the new season of VTB United League , May 20, 2012, vtb-league.com
In July 2012, the Council of VTB United League decided that the PBL league would continue for one more year, with some games of the VTB United League that took place between two Russian clubs being counted as PBL games. The first tier Russian clubs then replaced the PBL with the VTB United League as their new national domestic league, starting with the 2013-14 season.
The VTB United League was recognized by FIBA Europe in September 2013.VTB League Officially Recognised. The league was then officially recognized by FIBA World in October 2014. The league needed to be recognized by both bodies, because it contains clubs that come from countries that are part of both the European and Asian FIBA zones.
The honorary head of the league is Sergei Ivanov and its official sponsor is Pavel Vrublevsky of ChronoPay.
Formats In its inaugural 2009–10 season, the VTB United League featured clubs from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, and Ukraine. For the 2010–11 season, teams from Belarus, Finland, and Poland were added to the league. The 2011–12 season featured 18 teams, with new teams being added from the Czech Republic and Kazakhstan. In the 2012–13 season, the number of teams increased to 20. The number of teams decreased to 16 for the 2014–15 season, and the teams from Lithuania and Ukraine dropped out of the league.
During the 2021–22 season, ten teams were left to compete after the Polish and Estonian clubs withdrew from the league in protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As of the 2025–26 season, the VTB United League consisted of 11 teams:
Team Home city BC Avtodor Saratov PBC CSKA Moscow Moscow BC Enisey Krasnoyarsk PBC Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar BC Parma Perm MBA Moscow Moscow BC Nizhny Novgorod Nizhny Novgorod BC Samara Samara BC UNICS Kazan BC Uralmash Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg BC Zenit Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg
Arena rules In order for clubs to play in the VTB United League, they must have a home arena that has a seating capacity of at least 3,000 seats.
Team appearances Participants200809–1010–1111–1212–1313–1414–1515–1616–1717–1818–1919–2020–2121–2222–2323–2424–2525–268812182020161613131413131212141211 Minsk GS GS GS GS 14th12th12th9th14th(13th)13th9th 12th 14th Nymburk GS GS GS 15th QF Kalev GS GS GS GS 9th14th11th12th QF(8th)10th Ret Bisons Loimaa 13th13th Espoon Honka GS Torpan Pojat QR VITA Tbilisi 16th Astana 1/8 1/8 QF 15th QF 10th QF(9th)12th 10th 11th 13th 12th ASK Rīga 7th VEF Rīga GS GS QF GS GS 11th QF QF10th Lietuvos rytas GS 3rd GS SF Neptūnas GS GS Šiauliai QR Žalgiris5th 3rd 1/8 1/8 3rd Anwil QR Prokom8th GS GS Turów GS GS Zielona Góra 12th(7th) QF Ret Avtodor QF QF 10th QF 11th(12th)9th QF QF 9th QF 10th CSKA Moscow1st 1st 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st (2nd) 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 1st 1st Dynamo Moscow4th Enisey GS GS 1/8 11th10th QF 13th9th(11th)11th QF 9th QF 10th QF Khimki2nd 4th 1st QF 4th QF 2nd SF 2nd 2nd 2nd (1st) QF Krasny Oktyabr 1/8 12th9th Krasnye Krylia GS QF QF 16th Lokomotiv Kuban 4th 2nd QF SF QF SF QF QF (3rd) SF 4th 2nd 4th 4th 3rd MBA Moscow QF 10th 9th QF Nizhny Novgorod 1/8 QF 2nd SF QF 9th QF QF (10th) QF QF QF 12th QF 9th Parma 13th11th13th(5th) QF QF QF QF QF QF Samara 10th QF 11th 11th Spartak QF 1/8 1/8 Triumph 1/8 QF UNICS 2nd 3rd 2nd QF SF QF 2nd QF 4th SF (4th) 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd 2nd Uralmash QF QF QF Zenit QF SF SF 3rd SF (6th) SF 1st 4th 3rd 2nd 4th Azovmash6th GS 4th GS GS GS Budivelnyk GS Dnipro GS QR Donetsk GS 1/8 GS Kyiv3rd
Results + Key to colors VTB United League Promo-Cup SeasonFinals & Final four hostsFinalsThird Place PlayoffGoldScoreSilverBronzeScoreFourth place2008 Details (USK CSKA, Moscow) CSKA Moscow70–66KhimkiKyiv86–73Dynamo Moscow2009–10 Details (Sports Hall, Kaunas)CSKA Moscow66–55UNICSŽalgiris78–72Khimki2010–11 Details (Basket Hall, Kazan)Khimki66–64CSKA MoscowUNICS95–75Azovmash2011–12 Details (Siemens Arena, Vilnius)CSKA Moscow74–62UNICSLietuvos rytas91–83Lokomotiv Kuban2012–13 DetailsIn home and away venues CSKA Moscow3–1Series Lokomotiv KubanŽalgirisDid not playKhimki2013–14 DetailsIn home and away venues CSKA Moscow3–0Series Nizhny NovgorodUNICSDid not playLietuvos rytas2014–15 DetailsIn home and away venues CSKA Moscow3–0Series KhimkiLokomotiv KubanDid not playNizhny Novgorod2015–16 DetailsIn home and away venuesCSKA Moscow3–1SeriesUNICSZenit Saint PetersburgDid not playKhimki2016–17 DetailsIn home and away venuesCSKA Moscow3–0SeriesKhimkiZenit Saint PetersburgDid not playLokomotiv Kuban2017–18 Details (VTB Ice Palace, Moscow)CSKA Moscow95–84KhimkiZenit Saint Petersburg93–79UNICS2018–19 DetailsIn home and away venuesCSKA Moscow3–0SeriesKhimkiUNICSDid not playZenit Saint Petersburg2019–20 DetailsCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic - no champion announced.2020–21 DetailsIn home and away venuesCSKA Moscow3–0SeriesUNICSLokomotiv KubanDid not playZenit Saint Petersburg2021–22 DetailsIn home and away venuesZenit Saint Petersburg4–3SeriesCSKA MoscowUNICS3–1SeriesLokomotiv Kuban2022–23 DetailsIn home and away venuesUNICS4–1SeriesLokomotiv KubanCSKA Moscow4–1SeriesZenit Saint Petersburg2023–24In home and away venuesCSKA Moscow4–1SeriesUNICSZenit Saint Petersburg3–1SeriesLokomotiv Kuban2024–25In home and away venuesCSKA Moscow4–2SeriesZenit Saint PetersburgUNICS3–1SeriesLokomotiv Kuban2025–26In home and away venuesCSKA Moscow4–0SeriesUNICSLokomotiv Kuban3–2SeriesZenit Saint Petersburg
The whole 2008 tournament was staged in Moscow, including the Final Four. 2008 tournament does not count as official VTB title.
Titles by club Club Champions Runners-up Winning years CSKA Moscow 13 2 2010, 2012-19, 2021, 2024-26 Khimki 1 4 2011 UNICS 1 6 2023 Zenit Saint Petersburg 1 1 2022 Lokomotiv Kuban 0 2 Nizhny Novgorod 0 1
Abroad competitions
Major awards Hall of Fame Most Valuable Player Playoffs MVP Coach of the Year Young Player of the Year Sixth Man of the Year Defensive Player of the Year
Awards by nationality Top Belarusian player Top Estonian player Top Kazakh player Top Latvian player Top Russian player
Statistical awards Scoring leader Rebounding leader Assist leader Steals leader Block leader Free throw percentage leader
Records
Sponsorship Andrey Kostin's VTB Bank has been a long-term league sponsor. However, it recorded losses of connected to other sponsorships (FC Dynamo Moscow and HC Dynamo Moscow) and contributions to charities. This led to the Bank of Moscow joining as main sponsor.
Predecessor leagues USSR Premier League: (1923–1992) Russian Super League 1 (1st-tier): (1992–2010) Russian Professional League: (2010–2013)
See also VTB United League All-Star Game List of VTB United League season scoring leaders Russian Professional Championship: (1991–present) Russian Professional League: (2010–2013) Russian Super League 1: (1992–present) Russian Cup: (1999–present) USSR Cup: (1949–1987) Russian basketball league system Basketball in Russia Adriatic League Baltic League Belarusian Premier League Kazakhstan Championship
References
External links Official website