2026 Migration Report highlights ongoing expansion of global player movement
The landmark 15th edition of the International Basketball Migration Report highlights the continued growth of international transfers across the sport.
FIBA, the world governing body, and the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) have issued the International Basketball Migration Report (IBMR) 2026, which confirms another increase in the number of international transfers.
The milestone 15th edition of the annual report highlights player movement trends along with other global basketball tendencies during 2025-26 by combining FIBA's data on international transfers with the renowned analytics provided by CIES.
During the period, the global growth of basketball was evident once again, with a new high for international transfers (14,194).
International Basketball Migration Report 2026
A GLOBAL SNAPSHOT
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Europe remains the main hub for international transfers, with 5,428 recorded during 2025-26. There were 228 more transfers than during the previous period.
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A total of 9 of the top 10 transfer pathways include the USA, further underlining its significant impact on global player movements.
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The number of international transfers involving African players has continued to rise, growing from 124 in 2021 to 534 in 2026.
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In contrast, the number of international transfers for Asia and Oceania remained almost unchanged compared to 2024-25.
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The BNXT League (Belgium and Netherlands), Brazil, France, and Argentina all recorded the highest percentages of U21 national players.
ANOTHER ALL-TIME HIGH FOR NCAA TRANSFERS
Once again, there was a record number of players choosing the NCAA pathway and the valuable game experience and financial benefits that College basketball provides.
Both NCAA Men's Basketball (1,055) and NCAA Women's Basketball (1,042) set new records this season, surpassing the milestone of 1,000 international players for the first time. The number of international players in NCAA Women's Basketball has nearly doubled over the past six years, with players from 82 different nationalities now represented, underscoring the growing globalization of the women's game.
FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis commented: "I would like to sincerely thank CIES for their commitment and expertise in producing this landmark 15th edition of the report.
"We are proud of how it continues to be a valuable reference point for the global basketball community. And, after a decade and a half of providing this annual analysis, FIBA remains committed to studying and advancing the understanding of international basketball migration.
"The number of international transfers continues to increase, with FIBA registering another record high, as well as it being the second straight season with more than 10,000 individual players being involved in an international transfer.
"This season also saw more record numbers for players choosing the NCAA pathway as colleges offer valuable game experience and financial benefits.
"This remains an important topic across the basketball ecosystem. FIBA is proactively addressing it through ongoing monitoring, stakeholder support and the provision of clear guidance on pathways, eligibility and player welfare."
He added: "FIBA recognizes that players encounter numerous challenges when transferring internationally and this is why we continue to work diligently with 212 National Federations to support them - both through the Letter of Clearance process and the FIBA-Licensed Agent system."
The 2026 International Basketball Migration Report is available for download here.
International Basketball Migration Reports previous editions
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About FIBA FIBA (fiba.basketball) - the world governing body for basketball, is an independent association formed by 212 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is recognized as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
For further information about FIBA, visit fiba.basketball or follow FIBA on facebook.com/fiba, twitter.com/fiba, instagram.com/fiba, linkedin.com/fiba and youtube.com/fiba.
About CIES - The International Centre for Sports Studies CIES (cies.ch) is an independent study centre located in Neuchatel, Switzerland. It was created as a Foundation in 1995 by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the University of Neuchâtel, the City and State of Neuchatel. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, CIES provides research and top-level education to the world of sport. Since its creation, CIES has aimed to be a bridge between the worlds of research, education, and sports organisations. It encourages the exchange of knowledge and experience between stakeholders from both academia and the international sports industry. Thanks to its international network of universities a
