Andorra's Copa Col·legial Basketball Tournament Returns with Record Teams and New Women's Category

The second edition of Andorra's Copa Col·legial basketball tournament will feature a record nine school teams, including newcomer Escola Andorrana d'Ordino, and introduce a dedicated women's category on 4 March, organisers have announced.

Supported by the Andorran Basketball Federation (FAB), Andorra la Vella council, and Andbank, the event runs from 14 January to late March and targets players aged 14 to 18, from second-year ESO to second-year batxillerat.

Boys' teams will divide into three groups of three, with each group winner and the best second-place team advancing directly to the final four. The other second-placed sides will play qualifiers for remaining spots. Matches will take place in school gyms where possible, as well as at Estadi Nacional Joan Samarra and Pavelló dels Serradells. Tournament delegate Guillem Piñeiro described these venues as "a luxury" for their high quality.

The women's event replaces last year's mixed format and will run as a single-day competition, likely in a final-four setup with four or five participating schools, depending on final registrations. Piñeiro noted the challenges of launching it locally but confirmed its inclusion.

Broadcasts will stream live on the Copa Col·legial Catalunya YouTube channel, covering regular-season games, qualifiers, semifinals, and the final. Piñeiro said the streams allow players to review footage for improvement, create lasting memories, foster school pride, and promote basketball widely. He added that the tournament has already built strong collegiate spirit, companionship, and community loyalty among participants.

At the launch press conference, Andorra la Vella councillor Jordi Cabanes, responsible for Public Services, Environment, and Natural Heritage, called it "a marvel" that promotes sport, education, values, youth cohesion, and interaction across schools.

Andbank's Maria Suárez, director of Banca País, described it as a "transversal project" connecting schools, families, and organisers to teach victory, defeat, teamwork, effort, and talent discovery.

FAB president Joaquim Tomàs expressed pride in basketball's expansion, highlighting last year's success and hopes for more editions to educate and unite young people beyond competition.