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Liga U

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Liga U
Founded18 June 2025; 0 days ago (2025-06-18)
First season2025–26
CountrySpain
FederationSpanish Federation
ConfederationFIBA Europe
Feeder toLiga ACB

The Liga U will be the Spanish youth basketball league for players under the age of 22 that will be managed jointly by the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto (ACB) and the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB).[1][2][3]

This league was created with the aim to provide opportunities for young players who struggle to play regular time in the Liga ACB due to its high competitive level, while also will allow them to continue their academic training as will be closely linked to higher education. It emerges in response to the economic growth in college basketball in the NCAA due to the NIL rights.[4]

It will be supported by the Spanish Sports Council (CSD) and the Ministry of Education which will fund the tournament with a huge public investment of 15 million euros during its first three seasons in a 5 million euros per season.[5]

History

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Background

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Through decades, exploring a college career in the United States has been a consistent option for young basketball players who were not entirely sure to get a future in the European professional leagues. Taking advantage of their strengths on the court was an excellent way to farm an academic future in the land of the opportunities, consolidate the universal language par excellence, and, at the same time, continue to progress in the sport–a combination that is extremely difficult to achieve in Spain. With a scholarship, having a fully paid schooling was an irresistible opportunity to secure a long-term future while the short and medium-term prospects, with the ball in their hands, were uncertain. However, given the historically amateur nature of the NCAA, it was practically a ruled out option, except in rare cases, for truly outstanding talents, those capable of generating a level of income from a very young age that would make academic development a secondary priority.[6]

In the last years, the leak of talent from Europe's top youth teams to foreign countries was a phenomenon that has only just begun. The emergence of professional compensation in the NCAA, through the NIL program shattered the status quo which left traditional clubs and youth teams defenseless.[7][8] Spanish powerhouses like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona considered the option to eliminate their youth teams after this drain.[9]

Creation

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In May 2025, Spanish Sports Council (CSD) alongside the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto (ACB) and the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) began negotiations to launch a tournament of reserve teams.[10] On June 18, 2025, CSD, ACB and FEB announced the creation of a under-22 basketball league designed to keep emerging players with the aim to close the gap between youth and professional basketball, acting as a dam against the exodus of young promises who choose to make the Americas.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Nace la Liga U | ACB.COM". www.acb.com (in Spanish). 18 June 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  2. ^ "Nace la Liga U: el deporte español se une por el futuro del baloncesto". FEB (in Spanish). 18 June 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Nace la Liga U: el deporte español se une por el futuro del baloncesto". CSD - Consejo Superior de Deportes (in Spanish). 18 June 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  4. ^ Sardinero, David (18 June 2025). "Información de servicio sobre la Liga U: la nueva competición sub-22 masculina en España". Gigantes del Basket (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  5. ^ "El CSD inyecta 15 millones en la nueva Liga U sub-22 impulsada por ACB y FEB". 2Playbook (in Spanish). 18 June 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  6. ^ Sardinero, David (6 May 2025). "Qué son los derechos NIL y por qué pueden cambiar el futuro del baloncesto". Gigantes del Basket (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  7. ^ "La fuga de talento en las canteras europeas rumbo a la NCAA, una sangría que todavía irá a más". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 26 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  8. ^ "Los clubes formadores de cantera, en peligro: "Es dramático para el baloncesto en Europa"". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 14 April 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  9. ^ Ballesteros, Mozart (20 May 2025). "El Real Madrid y Barcelona estudian eliminar sus canteras tras la marcha de sus perlas a la NCAA". ElDesmarque (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  10. ^ Calderón, Juan (16 May 2025). "El CSD, la Liga ACB y la Federación ultiman la creación de una liga sub-22 para frenar la fuga de talentos". Diario Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  11. ^ "Liga a la fuga: así será la nueva competición sub-22". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 17 June 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
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