Prince Albert II Addresses AS Monaco Basket Crisis After Its Fall to France's Third Tier

Prince Albert II has addressed the crisis facing AS Monaco Basket, after a dramatic reversal of fortune that could see the team playing in France's third tier. In a statement released by the Prince's Palace on September 4, the Monegasque sovereign described the situation facing the Roca Team as a source of profound disappointment and called for lucidity and responsibility as the club attempts to rebuild.

Having already experienced similar difficulties in the past, in 1991, the club must today be able to rebuild on solid foundations, Albert said. The statement follows an extraordinary season for the club, which completed a historic domestic quadruple by winning the French championship, French Cup, Leaders Cup and Super Cup, while also establishing itself as a European basketball power by reaching the EuroLeague final in 2025.

Despite those results, serious financial problems have left the club facing an uncertain future. In July, French basketball's financial watchdog refused to admit AS Monaco Basket to either of the country's two highest professional divisions for the 2026 2027 season, and subsequent attempts to overturn the decision were unsuccessful. The Roca Team has since announced plans to apply for a place in Nationale Masculine 1, the third tier of French basketball, where it hopes to begin a sweeping sporting, financial and organizational rebuild.

Albert stressed that the crisis reaches far beyond the professional players seen on court: behind the professional team are employees, young people, managers, volunteers, supporters and an entire sporting ecosystem that must be preserved, he said, calling for the difficult period to be approached with seriousness, dialogue and a long term vision.

The Prince also offered a message of confidence to the club's players, staff, executives, volunteers and supporters, urging everyone involved to overcome the situation collectively, with ambition and responsibility, while acknowledging the support provided by Monaco's government. For Albert, preserving the club is also a matter of protecting the principality's international reputation: he noted that basketball had become a true showcase for Monaco and said the sport must be given the resources necessary to continue its history and contribute to the country's standing abroad.