The 42nd European Men’s Basketball Championship kicks off on August 27th. The EuroBasket 2025 will be held in four countries: Poland, Latvia, Cyprus, and Finland. Each host country will handle one group stage, with the playoff games and most important matches taking place in Riga.

For the first time ever, the Cyprus national team will play in EuroBasket, getting a spot as a host. Latvia is back in the championship for the first time since 2017. Portugal will play for the first time since 2011, and Sweden since 2013. This will be Iceland’s third championship, Portugal’s fourth, and Montenegro’s fifth.

Since 2003, six different countries have won EuroBasket. In the last six championships since 2009, Spain has won four times. Spain will be defending the title they won in 2022 at EuroBasket 2025, when they beat France in the final.

This will be the fourth European Men’s Basketball Championship to be held in four different countries:

2025: Cyprus, Finland, Latvia, Poland

2022: Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy, Germany

2017: Finland, Israel, Romania, Turkey

2015: France, Croatia, Germany, Latvia

EuroBasket Structure and Key Dates

Since 2011, EuroBasket has had 24 teams, split into four groups of six. The top four teams from each group will move on to the next round. In the knockout stage, the fourth-place team from one group will play against the first-place team from another, while the second-place team will play against the third-place team. In the Round of 16, Group A will play Group B, and Group C will play Group D.

The group stage runs from August 27th to September 4th. The Round of 16 starts on September 6th and will last for two days. The quarterfinals are on September 9th-10th, followed by the semifinals on September 12th. The tournament ends on September 14th with the third-place game and the final. EuroBasket no longer gives teams a spot in the Olympic Games, so there are no longer games for 5th-9th places. Teams that lose in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals will be ranked based on how they did in the group stage.

European Men’s Basketball Championship Groups

The 2025 EuroBasket will have four different groups, with each group’s games played in a different country:

Group	Host Nation	Teams
A	Latvia	Serbia, Turkey, Latvia, Portugal, Czech Republic, Estonia
B	Finland	Germany, Lithuania, Finland, Montenegro, Sweden, Great Britain
C	Cyprus	Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia
D	Poland	Iceland, France, Slovenia, Poland, Belgium, Israel

Top Players at EuroBasket 2025

EuroBasket 2025 will feature some of the NBA’s biggest stars. Nikola Jokic will play for Serbia, Luka Doncic for Slovenia, and Giannis Antetokounmpo for Greece. Lauri Markkanen will be a key player for co-hosts Finland, and Kristaps Porzingis will play for Latvia. Poland was supposed to have NBA player Jeremy Sochan from the San Antonio Spurs, but he’s out due to an injury he got during training camp.

Besides these big names, here are some other important players:

•Bosnia and Herzegovina: Jusuf Nurkic

•France: Theo Maledon, Guerschon Yabusele, Elie Okobo, Alexandre Dam Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher

•Germany: Dennis Schroder, Franz Wagner, Daniel Theis, Andreas Obst

•Greece: Kostas Sloukas, Tyler Dorsey, Konstantinous Mitoglu

•Israel: Deni Avdija

•Italy: Simone Fontecchio, Darius Thompson, Nicolo Melli, Danilo Gallinari, Matteo Spagnolo

•Lithuania: Jonas Valanciunas, Rokas Jokubaitis, Tadas Sedekerskis

•Montenegro: Nikola Vucevic, Kyle Allman

•Poland: Mateusz Ponitka, Jordan Loyd

•Serbia: Nikola Jovic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Filip Petrusev, Vasilije Micic, Marko Guduric, Nikola Milutinov

•Spain: Santi Aldama, Willy Hernangomez, Juan Hernangomez

•Turkey: Shane Larkin, Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, Alperen Sengun, Adem Bona, Omer Yurtseven

Big Names Missing from EuroBasket

While many great basketball players will be at the championship, some national teams will be missing their best players. France has big losses with Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, and Mathias Lessort all out. Germany won’t have Moritz Wagner, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Maxi Kleber. The Italian team won’t see Donte DiVincenzo play yet, even though he recently got Italian citizenship.

Lithuania also has important players missing, with NBA stars Domantas Sabonis and Matas Buzelis unavailable. Kasparas Jakucionis, who recently signed with the Miami Heat, didn’t join the national team camp. Even with Luka Doncic, Slovenia will be without key support players Josh Nebo and Vlatko Cancar. Great Britain will miss New York Knicks player OG Anunoby, and as mentioned before, Poland will be without Jeremy Sochan. Bosnia will miss one of the biggest Euroleague stars Dzenan Musa.

TOP 3 EuroBasket Favorites This Season

As the European Men’s Basketball Championship gets closer, three main teams are seen as favorites: Serbia, Germany, and France. Greece could also be a strong contender, especially with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading their team and good support around him. However, Antetokounmpo missing most friendly games means the Greek team will only be at full strength when the championship officially starts.

Serbia

Serbia comes into the championship with all their best basketball players. Unlike other teams facing big roster problems, Serbia has both Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Their whole twelve-man roster looks top-notch, with strengths in every position. The team has great defensive players, excellent playmakers, and strong offensive players. Motivation is also high, as Serbia lost the last two finals in 2017 and 2009, giving them a strong reason to finally win a EuroBasket title.

Germany

The current world champions will be without a few important players, including Moritz Wagner and Nick Weiler-Babb. While Isaiah Hartenstein is also a notable absence, Germany has won big games recently without him. The German team will mostly rely on the same core group that won the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and finished fourth in last year’s Olympic Games. The main question for Germany is their new coach, Alex Mumbru.

France

France is the team most affected by players being out, with Victor Wembanyama, Mathias Lessort, Rudy Gobert, and Evan Fournier all unavailable. Still, France has so much talent that even without these players, they are among the tournament favorites. A key strength of the French team is that many of their players have EuroLeague experience and are very familiar with FIBA basketball. This tournament will also be a chance for young talents like 20-year-old Zaccharie Risacher and Alexandre Dam Sarr to show what they can do. With players like Guerschon Yabusele, Elie Okobo, Theo Maledon, and Vincent Poirier, France can beat any opponent on any given day.

Eurobasket 2025 Teams Overview

Greece

Greece could also be considered one of the favorites for EuroBasket 2025, primarily due to the presence of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. With him leading the team, Greece possesses an unmatched offensive and defensive force. While the text mentions Antetokounmpo missing friendly games, the expectation is that he will be at full strength for the championship. The team also has strong supporting players like Kostas Sloukas and Tyler Dorsey. Greece’s success will largely hinge on Antetokounmpo’s dominance and the ability of the supporting cast to provide consistent contributions.

Spain

Spain enters EuroBasket 2025 as the defending champions, having won four of the last six tournaments since 2009. Their team includes experienced players like Willy Hernangomez and Juan Hernangomez, along with new talent such as Santi Aldama. Despite their consistent success, Spain’s team is almost completely new this year and it will be a challenge be to keep their strong position against other tough(er) teams.

Italy

Italy’s team for EuroBasket 2025 has a mix of well-known European stars and promising young players. Simone Fontecchio, Darius Thompson, and Nicolo Melli are expected to lead, bringing both scoring and defense. The text mentions Donte DiVincenzo, who recently got Italian citizenship, won’t play yet, suggesting the team might add new talent later. Italy’s performance will likely depend on how well their key players perform under pressure and how effectively they can play together, especially with new additions.

Lithuania

Lithuania comes into EuroBasket 2025 as a strong team with a mix of experienced leaders and young talent. Jonas Valanciunas is still the main player, while Rokas Jokubaitis brings creative playmaking and Tadas Sedekerskis adds versatility. The team will be without NBA stars Domantas Sabonis and Matas Buzelis, but Lithuania’s depth and well-practiced style of play always make them dangerous in tournaments. New coach promises to run a lot, but at the same time Lithuania is bringing 4 Centers to the competition. Anyway, their history of strong EuroBasket performances means they won’t be underestimated.

Turkey

Turkey’s team for EuroBasket 2025 features a strong core of NBA players like Shane Larkin, Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, and Alperen Sengun. This gives them a significant advantage in terms of talent and experience. Their performance will likely depend on how well these NBA players integrate with the rest of the squad and if they can consistently perform at a high level throughout the tournament. Turkey has the potential to be a dark horse for betting in the competition, capable of upsetting higher-ranked teams if their stars play to their full potential.

Latvia

As one of the host nations, Latvia will have the advantage of playing in front of their home crowd in Riga, which can provide a significant boost. Their team is led by NBA star Kristaps Porzingis, who will be crucial to their success. Latvia has shown in recent years that they can compete with top European teams, and with Porzingis leading the way, they will be looking to make a deep run in the tournament. Their ability to perform under pressure and capitalize on home-court advantage will be key.

Poland

Poland faces a big challenge at EuroBasket 2025 because Jeremy Sochan, a key NBA player, is injured. This loss will definitely affect their offense and defense. However, the team still has Mateusz Ponitka and Jordan Loyd, who can score and lead even a mediocre team on paper. Poland’s success will depend on how well they adjust to Sochan’s absence, with other players stepping up. Being one of the host nations might also give them an extra boost.

Betting tips for EuroBasket 2025:

1. Serbia to win it all: They’ve got all their best players and are super motivated after losing the last two finals.
   
2. France to surprise everyone: Even with some big names out, France has tons of talent and EuroLeague experience. Don’t count them out for a deep run, maybe even the finals.
   
3. Latvia to do well at home: Playing in Riga with Kristaps Porzingis leading the way is a huge plus. They could easily win their group or make it to the quarterfinals.