London, Monday 10 August 2026 - London Lions have announced the launch of the London Lions Invitational, a brand-new preseason tournament that will bring some of European basketball’s most storied clubs to the capital. The two-day event will be held at the Copper Box Arena on 10 and 11 September 2026.
The Lions will host three of the continent’s leading sides: Lithuanian giants Žalgiris Kaunas, French powerhouse Paris Basketball, and Śląsk Wrocław, the most decorated club in Polish basketball history. It represents a level of visiting club competition rarely seen on UK shores.
The tournament tips off on Thursday 10 September, with London opening against Śląsk Wrocław at 5:30 PM, followed by Žalgiris Kaunas facing Paris Basketball at 8:30 PM. The action concludes on Friday 11 September with the third-place game at 5:30 PM and the final at 8:30 PM. Doors open at 4:30 PM on both days.
The calibre of the visiting field underlines the ambition behind the event.
Žalgiris Kaunas are one of Europe’s true powerhouses, a former EuroLeague champion who reached the EuroLeague Quarterfinals last season and swept to yet another Lithuanian League crown, adding to the vast domestic and continental honours amassed across their history.
Paris Basketball have been the fastest-rising force in the European game, storming from the EuroCup title in 2024 to the French League championship and, most recently, a EuroLeague campaign, reaching the French League final again last season.
Śląsk Wrocław, the record holders of Polish basketball with more league and cup titles than any club in the country, arrive off a top-three domestic finish and a return to European competition in the EuroCup.
The event builds on the Lions’ sold-out preseason meeting with Žalgiris Kaunas ahead of the 2025-26 season, and renews a compelling rivalry with Paris Basketball. The two clubs shared a EuroCup group in 2023-24 and it was Paris who ended London’s run at the EuroCup Semifinal stage on their way to lifting the trophy, a result that gives this reunion an extra edge.
London Lions CEO Steve Devereux said:
“It’s great to welcome clubs of this calibre to London as part of our pre-season preparations.
“This announcement, coming just a short time after revealing our NBA pre-season participation in Portland, supports and reaffirms our mission to become a global basketball brand.”
Tickets go on sale on Monday 10 August at 3:00 PM, with prices starting from £19 for adults. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.
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