The Ülker Basketball Youth League season starts tomorrow. The Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) announced that the league will be played in a new format. Sixteen teams will compete at the Ülker Youth Halls located in the Turkcell Basketball Development Center. The girls' category will begin with matches on November 27, 28 and 29.

TBF President Hidayet Türkoğlu said strong youth development is one of the most important factors shaping the future of Turkish basketball.

Türkoğlu noted that the league, launched in 2017 for boys first, has given young athletes valuable experience. “Since 2017, the Basketball Youth League has helped our young athletes gain experience in a high-level competitive environment, showcase their talents and prepare for professional basketball,” he said. “The fact that many players who wear national team and top European club jerseys today competed in this tournament shows the value it holds for Turkish basketball. We are pleased to continue with Ülker as the title sponsor for the new season. I thank the Ülker family for this important partnership, and I wish success to all our teams, athletes and coaching staffs in the 2026-2027 season.”

Ülker CEO Özgür Kölükfakı said the company has supported sports and youth development for many years. “We see our support for sports as a long-term responsibility that helps young people discover and develop their talents. We believe that development in sports starts with a strong foundation, and that discipline, solidarity and team spirit are important for young athletes. We are happy to sponsor the Basketball Youth League this season, which prepares young basketball players for the future. We are also pleased that the matches will be played at Ülker Youth Halls, which carry the names of our brands. With the Ülker Basketball Youth League, we aim to support the future of Turkish basketball and accompany young talents on their dreams. I wish success to all teams, athletes and coaching staffs this season.”

Format and Teams

In the men's category of the Ülker Basketball Youth League, the youth teams of the 16 clubs in the Turkish Basketball Super League will compete in two divisions: A League and B League.

Unlike last season, the regular season will be played as a three-round league over seven windows. Each team will play 21 matches. The top four teams in the A League at the end of the regular season will compete for the title in the Four-Team Final. Teams ranked in the standings of both leagues will play Play-Out matches to earn the right to compete in the A League next season.

Aliağa Petkim Spor, Anadolu Efes, Bahçeşehir Koleji, Fenerbahçe Tarfin, Galatasaray, Karşıyaka, TOFAŞ and Türk Telekom will play in the A League. Beşiktaş, Bursaspor, Çayırova Belediyesi, Esenler Erokspor, Körfez Basket, Mektebim Denizli Basket, Pizzabulls Bandırma Bordo and Trabzonspor will play in the B League.

First-Week Schedule

The first-week matches will be played at 12:30, 15:00 and 17:30 across three venues. Opening day matches include Bahçeşehir Koleji vs. TOFAŞ at 12:30 at Ülker Halley Hall C1, Bursaspor vs. Körfez Basket at 12:30 at Ülker Go Ahead Hall C2, and Trabzonspor vs. Beşiktaş at 12:30 at Ülker Çizi Hall C3.