Barcelona will mark the 100th anniversary of its basketball section on Monday, with a major celebration highlighting the club’s long history while also signalling the start of a new era for the team.
The centenary event will take place at the Auditori 1899 and will be attended by a number of former greats and prominent figures who have helped shape Barcelona’s basketball history. The club is also expected to announce the activities and events planned throughout the 2026-27 season to commemorate the milestone.
Barcelona’s basketball section was officially established on 24 August 1926, according to Spanish newspaper Sport. The decision was taken by the club’s board during a meeting at its former headquarters in the Plaza del Teatro area, close to La Rambla, after a proposal from Pere Cusell to create a dedicated basketball section within the club.
Over the following century, the section has experienced periods of considerable success, collecting numerous honours, as well as difficult spells and disappointing results. The anniversary is being held at a significant moment for Barcelona, who are attempting to rebuild their squad and return to the forefront of European basketball.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is expected to deliver the opening address. He will review some of the most important moments in the section’s 100-year history, underline its importance within the wider club and reaffirm the board’s commitment to supporting the team.
The celebration comes as Barcelona begin a fresh phase under new Slovenian head coach Sikolic. The club have made extensive changes to their squad in an effort to recover from a period that fell short of the expectations of both the institution and its supporters.
The first team will begin preparations for the new season on Monday afternoon with their opening training session. Only a limited number of players are expected to be involved initially, because several members of the squad are away representing their countries during the FIBA international window.
Juan Nunez, Mohamed Dabone and Abdou Kone are due to take part at the beginning of pre-season. Kevin Punter has been granted permission to join the group later, while new arrivals Josh Nebo and Agustin Ubal are set to experience their first day with Barcelona.
Further newcomers Tyrese Martin, Justin Robinson, Yoan Makoundou and Stanley Umude are also scheduled to start their preparations with the club.
A number of Barcelona players will be absent because of international commitments. Dario Brizuela and Joel Parra are with Spain, Olivier Nkamhoua is representing Finland, Olek Balcerowski is away with Poland, Tosan Evbuomwan is with Great Britain and Omogbo Gibson is involved with Bulgaria.
The centenary programme therefore combines a look back at the origins and achievements of Barcelona’s basketball section with the practical beginning of a rebuilding project intended to restore the team’s place among Europe’s leading clubs.
