The London Lions will welcome European heavyweights Zalgiris Kaunas to the Copper Box Arena on 17 September for their final pre-season game before the start of the regular season
The game, set to tip at 19:30, will be the first home game under new head coach Tautvydas Sabonis, having joined the Lions this summer after several seasons as assistant coach at Zalgiris, creating an added layer of intrigue into the contest.
It will will be the first opportunity to see the Lions’ new-look roster, redesigned club branding and logo, and their home debut in their new adidas kit ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania’s most successful club, boast 24 domestic league titles and a EuroLeague crown from 1999. The team is renowned across Europe, having broken multiple EuroLeague attendance records in the last decade.
The matchup also reflects the deepening ties between the two clubs following the Lions’ acquisition by Tesonet in 2024.
The Lithuanian tech hub, which also holds a stake in Zalgiris, has brought invaluable European experience to London while implementing sustainable operational practices to support long-term sporting ambitions.
Before taking on Zalgiris, the Lions will face Sheffield Sharks and Surrey 89ers in domestic friendlies, followed by a training camp in Lithuania where they will meet Juventus Utena and Neptunas Klaipeda.