London Lions Invitational at Copper Box Arena

London Lions launch the London Lions Invitational, a
brand-new preseason tournament that will bring some of European basketball’s
most storied clubs to the capital. The two-day event will be held at the Copper
Box Arena on 10 and 11 September 2026.



The Lions will host three of the continent’s leading sides: Lithuanian giants
Žalgiris Kaunas, French powerhouse Paris Basketball, and Slask Wroclaw, the
most decorated club in Polish basketball history. It represents a level of
visiting club competition rarely seen on UK shores.



The tournament tips off on Thursday 10 September, with London opening against
Slask Wroclaw at 5:30 PM, followed by Žalgiris Kaunas facing Paris Basketball
at 8:30 PM. The action concludes on Friday 11 September with the third-place
game at 5:30 PM and the final at 8:30 PM. Doors open at 4:30 PM on both days.



The calibre of the visiting field underlines the ambition behind the event.



Žalgiris Kaunas are one of Europe’s true powerhouses, a former EuroLeague
champion who reached the EuroLeague Quarterfinals last season and swept to yet
another Lithuanian League crown, adding to the vast domestic and continental
honours amassed across their history.



Paris Basketball have been the fastest-rising force in the European game,
storming from the EuroCup title in 2024 to the French League championship and,
most recently, a EuroLeague campaign, reaching the French League final again
last season.



Slask Wroclaw, the record holders of Polish basketball with more league and cup
titles than any club in the country, arrive off a top-three domestic finish and
a return to European competition in the EuroCup.



The event builds on the Lions’ sold-out preseason meeting with Žalgiris Kaunas
ahead of the 2025-26 season, and renews a compelling rivalry with Paris
Basketball. The two clubs shared a EuroCup group in 2023-24 and it was Paris
who ended London’s run at the EuroCup Semifinal stage on their way to lifting
the trophy, a result that gives this reunion an extra edge.



Tickets go on sale on Monday 10 August at 3:00 PM, with prices starting from
£19 for adults. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.