The Monaco Basket Association presented its roster and ambitions for the 2026-2027 season on Thursday, September 10 at the Casino de Monte-Carlo, under the co-presidency of founder Éric Elena and Stéphane Valeri, President-Delegate of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer.
Backed by SBM, which formalised its partnership with the club in September 2024 and has since expanded its role through increased financial and operational support, MBA continues its push toward the top tier of French women’s basketball, with four new recruits and a refreshed coaching staff built around new head coach Emmanuel Body.
The move continues a clear upward trajectory for the club. Founded in 2009 by Éric and Martine Elena, MBA earned promotion to Ligue Féminine 2 (LF2) for the 2025-2026 season, its first campaign in the division, and delivered on its immediate goal, finishing fifth in a competitive 14-team league with 16 wins from 26 matches, narrowly missing a podium finish by a single point and securing a place in the LF2 playoffs. That success came as part of a three-year roadmap first laid out by Elena and Valeri in September 2025, with the club’s stated ambition of eventually reaching the Boulangère Wonderligue, the top tier of French women’s basketball.
MBA’s home matches continue to be staged at Salle Gaston Médecin, a venue the club hopes will help raise the profile of women’s basketball in the Principality as it looks to build on last season’s foundations.
The new season kicks off on September 18 with a Coupe de France tie against Ligue 1 side La Tronche Meylan, before Ligue Féminine 2 competition resumes on September 26, with MBA hosting Rouen Bihorel at home.
Image courtesy of Manuel Vitali