| Luxembourg Basketball League | |
| Pixels: | 250px |
| Sport: | Basketball |
| Founded: | 1933 |
| Teams: | 10 |
| Country: | Luxembourg |
| Continent: | Europe |
| Champion: | Esch (1st title) |
| Season: | 2021–22 |
| Champ Season: | 2022–23 |
| Most Champs: | Nitia (16 titles) |
| Sponsor: | Total |
| Levels: | 1 |
| Relegation: | Nationale 2 |
| Domestic Cup: | Luxembourg Cup |
| Website: | luxembourg.basketball |
The Nationale 1 Hommes, officially named the Luxembourg Basketball League (LBBL), is the highest men's basketball league in Luxembourg. The league's governing body is Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Basketball (FLBB).[1] The league was previously known by sponsorships names Diekirch League and Total League.[2]
As the league is semi-professional, all clubs are run as not-for-profit.[3] Each team in the league is allowed to have two American players on the roster. While most local players do not receive a salary, American players are paid.[4] [5]
There are two player statuses: JICL (French acronym for "player registered with a Luxembourgish club") and non-JICL. To be classified as JICL, a player has to have obtained a license from a FLBB club before their 16th birthday, or have one for at least three seasons between their 16th and 21st birthday. Prior to the 2013–14 season, each team was only allowed two non-JICL players, no exceptions. In July 2013, the European Commission adjudged the ruling was contrary to the Schengen Agreement.[6] Following that decision, the rule was scrapped and replaced by a gentlemen's agreement to keep the number at two, though some have signed a third non-JICL player, arguing they were part-time players.
During the regular season, each team plays the other nine teams twice, one at home and one away (10 teams, 18 games, 18 rounds). After this, the top six teams move on to the second stage, where they play a further 10 games against each other. The top four teams at the conclusion of the second stage move on to the playoffs. In the semi-finals, the No. 1 seed plays the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed plays the No. 3 seed. The winner of each best-of-three semi-final moves on to the Finals series to decide the title (also best-of-three).[7]
Meanwhile, the bottom four teams after the regular season join the best four teams from the second-tier Nationale 2 to play for relegation and promotion respectively. The two worst ranked Nationale 1 teams are relegated whilst the two best Nationale 2 teams are promoted.
| Current clubs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | City | Arena | Founded | Last title | |
| AB Contern | Contern | Hall sportif "Um Ewent" | 1956 | 2009 | |
| Amicale Steesel | Steinsel | Hall omnisports "Alain Marchetti" | 1947 | 2022 | |
| Racing Luxembourg | Luxembourg | Centre sportif Tramsschapp | 1950 | 2000 | |
| Basket Esch | Esch-sur-Alzette | Hall omnisport Esch-sur-Alzette | 1959 | 2023 | |
| Etzella Ettelbruck | Ettelbruck | Centre sportif du Deich | 1934 | 2006 | |
| Musel Pikes | Stadtbredimus | Sporthal Stadbriedemes | 2000 | Never | |
| Résidence Walferdange | Walferdange | Centre Prince Henri | 1965 | 1997 | |
| Sparta Bertrange | Bertrange | Centre Atert | 1935 | 2012 | |
| T71 Dudelange | Dudelange | Salle Fos Grimler | 1971 | 2021 | |
| Union Sportive Hiefenech | Heffingen | Centre sportif Heffingen | 1959 | 1996 | |
| Former clubs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | City | Arena | Founded | Last season | Last title | |
| Arantia Larochette | Larochette | Hall sportif Centre Filano | 1964 | 2017 | Never | |
| Black Star Mersch | Mersch | Hall omnisports Mersch | 1934 | 2015 | 1968 | |
| Nitia Bettembourg | Bettembourg | Centre sportif Bettembourg | 1932 | 2012 | 1953 | |
| AS Soleuvre | Soleuvre | Centre sportif "Roger Krier" | 1937 | 2017 | 2002 | |
| B.C. Mess | Mondercange | Complexe sportif Mondercange | 1967 | 2007 | Never | |
Source:[8]
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Contern | 2–0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Sparta Bertrange | 2–1 | ||
| 2005–06 | Etzella | 2–0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Sparta Bertrange | 2–0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Sparta Bertrange | 2–0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Contern | 2–1 | ||
| 2009–10 | T71 Dudelange | 2–1 | ||
| 2010–11 | T71 Dudelange | 2–1 | ||
| 2011–12 | Sparta Bertrange | 2–0 | ||
| 2012–13 | T71 Dudelange | 2–0 | ||
| 2013–14 | T71 Dudelange | 2–1 | ||
| 2014–15 | T71 Dudelange | 2–1 | ||
| 2015–16 | Amicale | 2–0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Amicale | 2–1 | ||
| Amicale | 3–0 | |||
| Etzella | 3–1 | |||
| None held due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2020–21 | T71 Dudelange | 2–0 | ||
| 2021–22 | Amicale Steesel | 3–2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Esch | Amicale | ||
| Club | Titles | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54 | ||
| 15 | 1954–55, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1991–92, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2018–19 | ||
| 13 | 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2020–21 | ||
| 11 | 1957–58, 1959–60, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12 | ||
| 9 | 1970–71, 1972–73, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1980–81, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2021–22 | ||
| 4 | 1987–88, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2008–09 | ||
| 4 | 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1995–96 | ||
| 4 | 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97 | ||
| 3 | 1966–67, 1997–98, 1999–00 | ||
| 2 | 1965–66, 1967–68 | ||
| 1 | 1951–52 | ||
| 1 | 1958–59 | ||
| 1 | 2001–02 | ||
| Esch | 2022–23 |
Luxembourgian clubs have not participated in European competition since 2002, the last year FIBA organised the FIBA Saporta Cup, with the FLBB bemoaning the separation between FIBA Europe and ULEB and the move away from a single-elimination format. Some of the requirements for participation in the FIBA-organised European third-tier EuroChallenge that restrict their participation are: a €5,000 registration fee notwithstanding other costs, an arena that seats at least 2000 without non-basketball lines, and games played on weekdays.[9]
| Competition | Team | Opponent(s) | Round(s) | Home | Away | Aggregate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions Cup 1958 |  Etzella |  Royal IV | Group stage | 43 – 82 | 36 – 63 | 79 – 145 | |
| Cup Winners' Cup 1974 | Sparta Bertrange | Paisley BC Steaua București | Second round Round of 16 | 105 – 93 77 – 108 | 64 – 51 77 – 117 | 169–144 154–225 | |
| Champions Cup 1978 | T71 Dudelange | Bayer 04 Leverkusen  Real Madrid GC Figueirense | Group stage | 78 – 85 63 – 94 96 – 87 | 71 – 97 60 – 118 65 – 69 | 3rd/4 teams | |
| Champions Cup 1979 | Amicale | Sporting  Emerson Varese | Group stage | 87 – 82 68 – 108 | 99 – 94 71 – 123 | 2nd/3 teams | |
| Champions Cup 1991 | Telekurs Hiefenech | BSG AdW Berlin FC Barcelona | First round Round of 16 | 98 – 84 73 – 113 | 92 – 96 77 – 117 | 190–180 150–230 | |
| Korać Cup 1994 | Telekurs Hiefenech | Cardiff Bay Heat EnBW Ludwigsburg | First round Second round | 78 – 72 80 – 86 | 89 – 79 69 – 105 | 167–151 149–191 |