The 2026 BAL Season is set to tip off in Pretoria, South Africa, marking another major milestone in the rapid rise of professional basketball across the African continent.
The Basketball Africa League has confirmed that its sixth season will begin on Friday, March 27, 2026, at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria and conclude with the finals on Sunday, May 31, 2026, at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.
The announcement underscores the league’s growing footprint and its commitment to showcasing elite African basketball in world-class venues.
The 2026 BAL Season will feature 12 top club teams drawn from 12 African countries, continuing the league’s format of combining competitive excellence with continental representation.
Across the course of the season, a total of 42 games will be played in three host cities: Pretoria in South Africa, Rabat in Morocco, and Kigali in Rwanda.
These cities were selected for their strong basketball infrastructure, passionate fan bases, and proven ability to host large-scale international sporting events.
As part of the competition structure, the 12 participating teams will be divided into two conferences of six teams each. During the group phase, every team will play the other five teams in its conference once, resulting in 15 group-stage games per conference.
This format is designed to ensure competitive balance while giving teams sufficient opportunity to showcase their quality before advancing to the playoffs.
The Kalahari Conference group phase will take place in Pretoria from March 27 to April 5, with the SunBet Arena serving as the central venue.
Pretoria’s role as the opening host city highlights South Africa’s continued importance to the league, especially following the successful staging of previous BAL events and finals in the country.
The atmosphere in Pretoria is expected to be electric, with fans eager to witness the opening tip-off of the 2026 BAL Season.
Following the conclusion of the Kalahari Conference games, attention will shift north to Morocco, where the Sahara Conference group phase will be staged in Rabat from April 24 to May 3.
Matches will be played at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, a venue known for hosting major continental competitions. The Rabat phase will be crucial in determining which teams advance, as competition is expected to be fierce among clubs seeking a place in the season-ending playoffs.
At the end of the group stages, eight teams across the two conferences will qualify for the playoffs, which will be held in Kigali from May 22 to May 31.
The playoffs will culminate in the 2026 BAL Finals at the BK Arena, a venue that has quickly become synonymous with elite African basketball. Kigali’s selection as the finals host further reinforces Rwanda’s growing status as a hub for international sports events on the continent.
Speaking on the announcement, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall highlighted the significance of returning to familiar host countries for the sixth season. He said that coming back to South Africa, Morocco, and Rwanda reflects the “strong sporting cultures and rapidly growing basketball ecosystems” in these nations.
According to him, the league continues to inspire fans across Africa while driving global recognition for African basketball talent.
Fall also emphasised the broader vision of the league, noting that the BAL is not just about competition on the court. He explained that the league is focused on creating opportunities, building sustainable basketball systems, and connecting African players to the global basketball community.
He added that the organisation is looking forward to welcoming fans in all three host markets and showcasing the energy and quality of African basketball to a worldwide audience when the season tips off.
FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave also spoke about the growing impact of the league as it approaches its sixth season. He stated that the BAL’s continued expansion demonstrates how the competition has elevated the game across the region.
Manave pointed to the importance of the Road to the BAL, describing it as a vital pathway that expands access and strengthens competition across Africa. He said the momentum heading into the 2026 BAL Season is a testament to the league’s influence on players, clubs, and communities.
Beyond the games themselves, the 2026 BAL Season will continue the league’s tradition of blending basketball with African culture.
Fans can expect a vibrant mix of music, fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment around game venues, with appearances from celebrities and influencers who help amplify the league’s reach. This cultural integration has become a defining feature of the BAL, setting it apart from traditional basketball competitions.
The league will also roll out extensive basketball development and social impact programmes alongside the season.
In collaboration with its partners, the BAL plans to host youth clinics, coaching and referee workshops, literacy and educational initiatives, and media networking events in the three host cities as well as in Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal.
A key component of this effort is BAL4HER, a platform focused on advancing gender equality through camps and workshops designed specifically for young women.
From a commercial and partnership perspective, the 2026 BAL Season will once again be supported by a strong network of sponsors and stakeholders. The Rwanda Development Board will return as a foundational partner, while other partners include Afreximbank, Air Senegal, Amazon Web Services, Castle Lite, the French Embassy in Senegal, and RwandAir.
These partnerships play a crucial role in sustaining the league’s operations and expanding its reach.
The announcement of the new season also comes on the back of a historic 2025 campaign. On June 14, 2025, Libya’s Alahli Tripoli made history by becoming the first Libyan club to win the BAL Finals, defeating Petro de Luanda in Pretoria.
That victory added Libya to the list of BAL-winning nations, which previously included Angola, Egypt, and Tunisia.
In terms of global reach, the league continues to record impressive growth.
The 2025 BAL Season was broadcast to fans in 214 countries and territories across 17 languages. It set a new attendance record with more than 140,000 fans in arenas and generated over 1.2 billion impressions across NBA and BAL social media platforms. These figures underline the increasing global interest in African basketball.
While the full list of the 12 participating teams for the 2026 BAL Season has not yet been announced, the league confirmed that further details will be released at a later date.
Fans have already been encouraged to register their interest in tickets ahead of the season, reflecting the anticipation surrounding another highly competitive and culturally rich BAL campaign.
As the countdown continues, the 2026 BAL Season is shaping up to be another landmark chapter for African basketball, combining high-level competition, cultural celebration, and meaningful social impact across the continent.
