FIBA recognises SLB directly as GB ban lifted

FIBA has lifted the British Basketball Federation’s (BBF) suspension and formally recognised Super League Basketball (SLB) as a professional league in Great Britain – reinstating the GB men’s team for this month’s World Cup qualifiers and granting SLB clubs access to international clearances, European competition and the world governing body’s administrative structures.

FIBA confirmed this evening it had removed the temporary ban imposed on the BBF on October 14, which had frozen the Great Britain Senior Men out of FIBA events.

GB are now allowed to compete in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers starting November 27, including a home game in a to-be-determined location and an away trip to Iceland.

The breakthrough came after FIBA struck a direct recognition agreement with SLB, ensuring clubs can register overseas players and enter European competitions like the Basketball Champions League. Manchester had been blocked from BCL entry earlier this year under the BBF’s watch.

Hoopsfix understands FIBA needed a functioning, sanctioned league for the current season – something the BBF couldn’t provide through its arrangement with GBB League Ltd, whose proposed competition doesn’t launch until 2027/28.

While the BBF can now field national teams, its authority to license domestic men’s competitions remains suspended.

FIBA’s Task Force for British Basketball Club Matters continues working with the BBF, SLB, UK Sport and UK Government to stabilise governance and build a sustainable framework.

Despite the positive news of the international ban being lifted, it simultaneously delivers another blow to the BBF with the organisation being circumvented by FIBA to work directly with the SLB, coming weeks after chair Chris Grant’s resignation following one of the most turbulent periods in British basketball history.

FIBA’s decision solves the immediate crisis around GB’s international participation – providing relevant parties can get the operations and logistics solved at very short notice – but leaves major questions over the GBBL project’s future and the long-term structure of the domestic game and federation.

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