French Basketball Federation rejects AS Monaco application for third-tier Nationale 1
The French Basketball Federation has refused to register reigning champion AS Monaco in Nationale 1, citing insufficient financial guarantees after earlier excluding the club from professional leagues.
Rejection of third-division registration
The French Basketball Federation (FFBB) announced on Saturday, 12 September 2026, its formal refusal to admit AS Monaco Basket into Nationale 1 for the upcoming season. Nationale 1 represents the third division and third tier of the French basketball league structure. In its official release, the federation stated that it did not possess sufficient guarantees to authorize the reigning French champion to enter the competition. The federal bureau confirmed that it was adopting the unfavorable recommendation issued by the Commission de contrôle de gestion, the financial oversight body tasked with reviewing club accounts.
- FFBB dismisses Monaco's re-examination request for professional leagues
- AS Monaco announces application file for Nationale Masculine 1
- FFBB federal bureau refuses Monaco's entry into Nationale 1
Exclusion from professional championships
The decision deepens the regulatory crisis surrounding AS Monaco Basket, also referred to as the Roca Team, following its prior exclusion from France's professional leagues. The club was barred from competing in both Elite 1 and Elite 2 due to economic and financial reasons. The French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) had previously confirmed the exclusion of the team from the French championship. Monaco had entered the summer as the reigning national champion after winning the French championship title in the preceding season.
Summer appeals and legal pathways
Following its initial exclusion from professional ranks, AS Monaco Basket requested a re-examination of its application file from the federation in late August 2026. The federation dismissed the club's request, leaving the administrative court as the only remaining legal option available to challenge the ruling. The Principality's club chose not to pursue the court appeal, opting instead to concentrate on sporting avenues within lower divisions.
Application for Nationale Masculine 1
On Tuesday, 1 September 2026, AS Monaco Basket announced that it had submitted an application file seeking registration in Nationale Masculine 1. The club stated that this entry into the amateur third tier was intended to allow the team to rebuild and regain its position at the top level of French basketball. The latest refusal from the federal bureau leaves the reigning champion barred from the top three divisions of the national basketball pyramid.
