Time to Write History in Athens: Fenerbahçe Beko Defends Its 2nd EuroLeague Title — Olympiacos, Real Madrid and Valencia Stand in the Way

European basketball's biggest week begins in Athens. The EuroLeague Final Four, held May 22-24, 2026 at Telekom Center Athens, brings together four giant clubs — defending champion Fenerbahçe Beko, host Olympiacos Piraeus, history's king Real Madrid Baloncesto, and Valencia Basket making its first-ever Final Four appearance in club history. This year, Athens — the heart of Olympiacos, one of basketball's most established clubs, and the center of street-living passionate fans — will host an unforgettable Final Four.

The pride of Turkish fans, Fenerbahçe Beko, comes to defend its 2nd EuroLeague title — won against Monaco in Abu Dhabi last season. Under Šarūnas Jasikevičius' management, the yellow-navy team secured their Athens ticket by beating Žalgiris Kaunas 3-1 in the playoffs (with a dramatic overtime win in Game 4). 9 players in their squad won the title in Abu Dhabi last year. Coming in as the EuroLeague's best defensive team (allowing a league-leading 0.97 points per possession, and league-best 32% three-point percentage), Fenerbahçe strengthened with the returns of Nando De Colo (10 Final Four games, 2 titles, 2 Olympic silvers), Devon Hall, Nicolo Melli and Mikael Jantunen. They lost the previous regular season Olympiacos meeting 104-87 (with a missing squad) — now full-team revenge time.

Standing against them is the historic serial finalist Olympiacos. The Piraeus team became the first to secure their Final Four ticket by sweeping AS Monaco 3-0, and this is their 5th consecutive Final Four. Just 11 km from Athens — meaning home-court advantage is fully present. Šarūnas Jasikevičius — former Žalgiris and now Fenerbahçe coach — is intimately familiar with Olympiacos' offensive patterns. The semifinal will be played on Friday, May 22; with over 85% of the stands expected to be filled with Greek fans, Fenerbahçe will openly be in a hostile atmosphere.

The second semifinal is an all-Spanish classic: Real Madrid Baloncesto — the club with the most championships in EuroLeague history (11 titles) — meets Valencia Basket, making its first Final Four appearance in club history. In the playoffs, Real Madrid beat Hapoel Tel Aviv 3-1; Valencia produced the postseason's most extraordinary performance, coming back from 0-2 against Panathinaikos to win 3-2. Valencia's arrival at this tournament is not just sporting — it's a historic moment for the club, a dream for its fans. On the Madrid side, experienced names like Edy Tavares (2023 Final Four MVP), Walter Tavares Sapana, and Facundo Campazzo are present.

For Turkish basketball, this tournament carries special meaning. The trophy Fenerbahçe won in Abu Dhabi last year came after the one Anadolu Efes won in 2021-22 — meaning Türkiye has won 3 EuroLeague titles in the last 5 years (2022 Efes, 2025 Fenerbahçe). Now in Athens, they take the floor to win the 4th in 2 consecutive years. The semifinal is Friday, May 22, the final Sunday, May 24. The Final Four Pass on EuroLeague TV will allow live viewing from all countries except Spain. Turkish fans' chant at Beko Athens will be a symbolic moment for basketball hearts.

Source: Based on reports from Olympics.com, Eurohoops, BasketNews, Greek City Times and Sportando on the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens tournament.