Basketball Africa League to Tip Off Sixth Season March 27 in South Africa
The Basketball Africa League (BAL) today announced that its sixth season will tip off on Friday, March 27 at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, and culminate with the 2026 BAL Finals on Sunday, May 31 at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.
The 2026 season will feature 12 top club teams from 12 African countries competing in 42 games across Pretoria, Rabat, and Kigali.
Teams will be divided into two conferences of six, with each conference playing a 15‑game group phase. The Kalahari Conference will run from March 27 – April 5 in Pretoria, while the Sahara Conference will take place April 24 – May 3 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat.
Eight teams will advance to the Playoffs in Kigali from May 22 – May 31.
BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall said: ‘Returning to South Africa, Morocco and Rwanda for our sixth season speaks to the strong sporting cultures and rapidly growing basketball ecosystems in those countries. The BAL continues to inspire fans across the continent and drive opportunities and global recognition for African talent.’
FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave added: ‘As we approach the tip off of the sixth Basketball Africa League season, we celebrate the league’s growing impact and the way this competition continues to elevate the game across the region. Entering the sixth season with such momentum is a testament to the BAL’s influence on players, clubs and communities.’
Beyond the games, the BAL will highlight the convergence of basketball and African culture through music, fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment, with appearances from leading celebrities and influencers.
The league will also collaborate with partners to deliver basketball development and social impact programs in host countries and beyond, including youth clinics, literacy initiatives, media networking, and BAL4HER workshops to advance gender equality in African sports.
The Rwanda Development Board will return as BAL Foundational Partner. Other partners include Afreximbank, Air Senegal, Amazon Web Services, Castle Lite, the French Embassy in Senegal, and RwandAir.
Last season, Libya’s Alahli Tripoli became the first Libyan team to win the BAL Finals, joining past champions from Angola, Egypt, and Tunisia.
The 2025 season reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages, set an attendance record of more than 140,000, and generated over 1.2 billion impressions across NBA and BAL social media channels.
The 12 participating teams for the 2026 season will be announced at a later date.
