FIBA Europe announced on Wednesday the premier of a new competition for men's clubs to replace the EuroCup, to go by the name EuroChallenge. 

The EuroChallenge is the direct result of a renewed effort by FIBA Europe and ULEB to cooperate in the growth of basketball across Europe.

The EuroChallenge will be integrated into the two other pan-European competitions with the winner and runner-up earning the right to play in the newly renamed EuroCup (formerly the ULEB Cup) in the 2009-2010 season.

"At FIBA Europe our main concern is to support the continued growth of basketball and the integration of our competitions with those of ULEB will go a long way towards that," commented FIBA Europe President George Vassilakopoulos.

"This is an exciting development in European basketball," said FIBA Europe Secretary General Nar Zanolin.

"Nearly 50 clubs declared interest in playing in EuroChallenge.  That level of interest shows that basketball's growth in Europe continues at an impressive rate."

The new competition will feature 32 teams.  Eight will qualify directly to qualifying round one of the competition and eight more will advance through a 32 team elimination round. The field will be rounded out by the 16 losing teams from the elimination rounds of the EuroCup.

Qualifying Round One of EuroChallenge will be played in eight groups of four teams with the top two placed teams in each group advancing to the next phase.  Four groups of four teams will play in Qualifying Round Two and the top two teams will advance to the quarter-finals where they will play a best-of-three series.  The victors in those series will advance to the final four.

EuroChallenge Competition System

Elimination Round One

Number of clubs: 32

Format: Home and away games

16 clubs advance to Elimination Round Two

Elimination Round Two

Number of clubs: 16

Format: Home and away games

Eight teams advance to Qualifying Round One

Qualifying Round One

Number of clubs: 32 (8 qualify directly, 8 advance through EuroChallenge elimination rounds. 16 losers from EuroCup elimination round)

Format: Eight groups of four clubs each

Top two teams in each group advance to the second phase.

Qualifying Round Two

Number of teams: 16

Format: Four groups of four clubs each

Top two clubs in each group advance to quarter-finals.

Quarter-finals

Best-of-three series

Final Four

Tournament format