Roca Team barred from Nationale 1 in blow to Monaco basketball
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
The French Basketball Federation has refused to admit the Roca Team to the third tier of French competition, threatening the future of professional basketball in Monaco.
The French Basketball Federation has dealt a severe blow to Monaco basketball by rejecting the Roca Team's application to compete in Nationale 1, the third division of the French league system. The decision has prompted dismay across the Principality, with the club having won the French championship title before finding itself locked out of the division in which it sought to rebuild.
The ruling raises serious questions about the survival of professional basketball in Monaco. The Roca Team, which plays its home games at the Salle Gaston Médecin in Fontvieille, has been one of the defining sporting institutions of the Principality, and any enforced absence from competitive French basketball would leave a significant gap in Monaco's sporting calendar.
The club has confirmed it will appeal the Federation's decision. The outcome of that process will determine whether Monaco retains a professional basketball presence for the 2026-27 season, and supporters are being asked to stay close to official club communications as the legal and administrative challenge progresses.