French basketball champion Monaco thrown out of pro leagues over €24m debt, federation confirms on appeal

The French Basketball Federation (FFBB) appeals chamber confirmed on Saturday 1 August that AS Monaco, the reigning French champion, will be barred from all professional competition for the 2026-2027 season. The decision ratifies a 3 July ruling by the league's financial watchdog, which had refused to register the club for Elite 1 or Elite 2 because of insufficient guarantees about its economic viability. Monaco's debts, which surpass €24 million, sat at the centre of the case.

The federation's ruling

The FFBB stated that the club failed to produce the required documents within the allotted timeframe. In the words of the federation,

“Le club n'ayant pas été en mesure de produire les documents sollicités dans les délais impartis”

the appeals chamber confirmed the contested decision and refused the club's entry into the first- and second-division professional championships for next season. The ruling covers both Betclic Elite and Elite 2, leaving Monaco with no professional league to compete in as things stand.

A champion under financial strain

Monaco secured its French championship title on 23 June, capping a decade-long run as the most powerful side in the domestic league. Behind the on-court success, however, the club accumulated liabilities judged too heavy by the Direction Nationale de Conseil et de Gestion, the financial regulator that first blocked its registration on 3 July. The regulator cited the absence of sufficient guarantees regarding the club's viability for the coming season and doubts about the progress of takeover talks.

Appeal avenues still open

Monaco can contest the decision before the administrative tribunal. Before that step, it must first lodge an appeal with the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF). In a post on X, the club indicated it was examining whether to bring a case before the CNOSF. No timeline was given for that move.

What the exclusion means for the league

The removal of Monaco, the dominant force in the championship for a decade, reshapes the competitive landscape of French basketball. The club's participation in the top flight had looked uncertain for weeks as the financial oversight process unfolded. Saturday's ruling extinguishes, for now, any prospect of the reigning champion defending its title in the 2026-2027 season.

Next steps

Monaco's immediate focus shifts to the CNOSF conciliation process, a prerequisite before any appeal reaches the administrative court. No date has been set for that filing. The FFBB and the league have not commented on whether a replacement or rebalancing of the professional divisions would be triggered if the exclusion stands.