Rīgas Zeļļi Return to EuroCup After Over 11-Year Hiatus

After 4,312 days—11 years, 9 months, and 20 days—the EuroCup returns to Riga with a Latvian club participating. The last time a Latvian team hosted a EuroCup game was on December 9, 2014, when VEF Rīga lost to Turkey's Beşiktaş. Since then, the Ukrainian club Prometey played EuroCup games at Riga Arena, but without a local favorite, fan interest was limited.

Head coach Roks Kondratavičs and his Rīgas Zeļļi will tip off the new season on September 29 at home against Derthona Basket, who finished fifth in last season's Italian league. Their first road game is on October 6 in Germany against the Rostock Seawolves. On October 14, they host Slovenia's Cedevita Olimpija.

November features two away games: on November 11 (Lāčplēša Day) they face Aris Thessaloniki in Greece, and on November 18 they travel to Italy to play Derthona again. The team will spend Christmas and New Year at home, hosting Hapoel Jerusalem on December 23 and San Pablo Burgos from Spain on December 30.

The group stage concludes on January 12 at home against Aris Thessaloniki, coached by Greek basketball legend Vassilis Spanoulis. To advance to the playoffs, Rīgas Zeļļi must finish among the top four in the eight-team group.