NKA Universitas Pécs will begin its Hungarian Cup Final Four campaign against host Sopron Basket. The game tips off on Saturday at 19:00 in the Novomatic Arena. Our team has already proven its quality this season and is ready to fight for the trophy, even on the toughest path.
One of the most important weekends of the season has arrived: the Hungarian Cup Final Four in Sopron. Originally, the event was supposed to be hosted in Diósgyőr, but after DVTK HUNTHERM failed to qualify, the hosting rights were awarded to Sopron. Our team faces a major challenge right away, playing against the host side: away court, home crowd, and one of the strongest teams in Hungary await us.
The road to the Final Four was not easy either. In the quarterfinal, we defeated DVTK HUNTHERM 83–66 at home in the Lauber Arena. The tightly contested game was decided in the fourth quarter, which we won 24–9.
The rivalry with Sopron has a long history. The two teams have faced each other regularly in both the league and the cup for many years, and although the overall balance favors Sopron, we have already shown this season that we can compete with them. The first meeting of the season turned into a real classic: we claimed a 77–76 overtime victory at the Novomatic Arena, which was particularly significant as it marked Pécs’ first win in Sopron since the 2015–16 season. We followed that up with a convincing home victory, giving us confidence heading into Saturday’s cup clash.
Head coach Zeljko Djokic believes the situation is clear:
“First of all, I would like to congratulate my team for reaching the top four in both competitions, the league and the cup. This is a great achievement, and we are very happy to be in the Final Four.
The draw turned out to be interesting. In the quarterfinal we faced Diósgyőr, the second team in the standings, while we were first, meaning the two strongest teams met early. Originally, Diósgyőr was supposed to host the Final Four, but we managed to beat them at home and qualify.
Now we have to play in Sopron against the host team. Obviously, this gives them an advantage: no travel, their own arena, and strong home support. The draw also means we have to face one of the strongest teams already in the semifinal. This is not always typical in cup competitions, usually the top teams meet later. On the other side, Szekszárd faces BEAC, who finished eighth in the league. This shows that we have the tougher path.
But if we want to win the cup, we have to beat the best teams. Nobody comes to the Final Four just to participate, everyone wants to win, and we are no different. I feel that our team has improved a lot recently, and we have the quality to perform well even in Sopron.
The Final Four takes place during the Easter weekend, so I hope many of our fans will travel with us. Their support would mean a lot to the players.
At the moment, it is still unclear who will be available, as we have some injured players. We are working to have as many players ready as possible. But no matter who is on the court, one thing is certain: everyone will do everything to win the cup.”
Hungarian Cup Final Four schedule:
April 4, 2026 (Saturday)
Semifinals
16:00 TARR KSC Szekszárd – ELTE BEAC Újbuda
19:00 NKA Universitas Pécs – Sopron Basket
April 5, 2026 (Sunday)
15:30 Third-place game
18:30 Final
