Monaco Women's Basketball Team Moves to Gaston-Médecin Arena, Aims for Top League

The founder and co-president of MBA, Éric Elena, shared in Monaco Hebdo that his club had long sought a home in the Gaston-Médecin arena. He had previously sent a letter to the government at the end of last season outlining the club's aspirations.

"We explained our ambition to reach a higher level and the difficulties in finding partners at our former venue, l'Annonciade. While l'Annonciade holds a special place in our hearts – it's where we were founded and grew, it's our home – we now require a more professional facility for our current stage of development. With the situation of AS Monaco Basket, this matter is now settled." He added, "We do not pay rent, and the government covers maintenance. This was previously the case for Roca Team. We only cover security costs."

Éric Elena highlighted that playing at Gaston-Médecin attracts more sponsors and expressed satisfaction with the matches being broadcast by the FFBB on its YouTube channel.

The Monaco president commented on the outflow of top French players and its impact on Ligue 2, but he appreciates his team's continued competitiveness.

"Clubs in the top women's league recruited the best young talents from Ligue 2, and Ligue 2, in turn, recruited from Nationale. Consequently, the overall level has decreased. Our strength this year is that we haven't seen a decline; quite the opposite. Without taking excessive risks, we have quality players. We only changed four players and retained six, as the team structure was solid. I believe we are among the few teams stronger than last year. This gives us a significant advantage."

When asked by Monaco Hebdo if there were lessons to be learned from the AS Monaco Basket's struggles, Éric Elena responded:

"I'm not sure it's a lesson, but it's an observation. Regarding ASM Basket, the league president stated it was 'a good team with a large budget, but with an operational method typical of a fifth-division team.' Budgetary management is key. It's essential to stay grounded, anticipate potential issues, as unforeseen events always occur. An injury, a medical consultation – these incur costs. We are proud of our journey, achieved through persistent effort. I recall that 17 years ago, we trained in a parking lot in Menton. We are proud to have a board of directors and partners, including established local families and 100% Monegasque companies. This demonstrates that in Monaco, not all funding comes from external sources; we are capable of managing the MBA solely with local partners and funds."

In the summer of 2025, the Principality's women's team appointed Petros Prekas as head coach. Prekas previously served as the Greek national team's coach and, since 2021, as an assistant to George Dikaioulakos at Schio. Stratis Nianios, another Greek national, joined as his assistant. In Ligue 2, winning the French championship grants promotion to the elite league. This is how La Tronche Meylan, after defeating Montbrison in the final, advanced to the Wonderligue in May 2026.