MIES (Switzerland) - The admission process for the 2020-21 season of the Basketball Champions League has begun, and some major European clubs have already signed up to play in the upcoming fifth season, with more champions and leading clubs from across the continent due to join.

In parallel to planning the 2019-20 season-ending Final Eight tournament, taking place on September 30 - October 4, the Basketball Champions League has initiated the process for admitting clubs into the 2020-21 season and a number of top European clubs have already confirmed their will to line up in the battle for European glory.

The Turkish club of Darüşşafaka will make its Basketball Champions League debut in October, after a solid season in this year's Basketbol Süper Ligi. The club has strong domestic and European records and achievements (winners of 2 Turkish Championships and the 2018 EuroCup) being runners-up of this season's Turkish Cup.

In Spain, RETAbet Bilbao will also be joining the Basketball Champions League, after a successful season that saw them secure a position in the ACB Play-Offs and reach the Quarter-Finals in the Copa del Rey.

The Lithuanian club of Rytas Vilnius will also be among the new clubs joining the competition. Rytas has an impressive set of records and a remarkable list of trophies, among which 5 Lithuanian championships, 3 LKF and 2 King Mindaugas Cups, and 2 ULEB Cup titles.

"We are delighted to welcome these top clubs, playing in some of the strongest leagues in Europe, to the Basketball Champions League family, and I’m convinced they will bring something special to next year’s competition," said Basketball Champions League CEO Patrick Comninos.

"Their presence underscores the successful growth and development of the competition, and we are pleased to see more clubs convinced by the truly pan-European nature of the Basketball Champions League and its focus on providing a great international competition for clubs based on sport results and merit. We are also thrilled to see that more and more clubs with ambitions to win a top European trophy are choosing the Basketball Champions League to pursue their dreams," he said.