BAL returns for its sixth season on Friday, 27 March 2026, with the opening games set to take place at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria. The start of the new season once again places South Africa at the centre of the competition’s early stages. As a result, the country continues to play an important role in supporting the growth of professional basketball on the continent.
Photo Credit: The Tazania Times
The Growth of the BAL
The Basketball Africa League was established to elevate African basketball and connect the continent to the global sporting stage. It was launched through a partnership between the National Basketball Association and the International Basketball Federation. Since then, the league has steadily expanded its reach. Consequently, it now attracts leading club teams from across Africa as well as a growing international audience.
Photo Credit: SunBet Arena
Moreover, the league has become an important platform for showcasing African basketball talent. Players, coaches, and clubs are increasingly gaining recognition through the competition.
A Multi-City Continental Tournament
This year’s competition will feature 12 teams representing 12 African countries. In total, 42 games will be played across three host nations.
Firstly, the Kalahari Conference group stage will run from 27 March to 5 April in Pretoria. Afterwards, the Sahara Conference will take place from 24 April to 3 May in Rabat, Morocco. Finally, the season will conclude with the Playoffs and Finals from 22 to 31 May in Kigali, Rwanda.
This format allows the league to engage fans across several regions. In addition, it reinforces the continental scale of the tournament.
New Teams Signal Continued Expansion
Importantly, the 2026 season highlights the continued growth of the league. Five clubs will make their debut in the competition. These include South Africa’s Johannesburg Giants and Tanzania’s Dar City.
They will compete alongside experienced teams such as Petro de Luanda, the 2024 champions and the only club to have qualified for every BAL season so far, as well as Al Ahly of Egypt, the 2023 champions.
The remaining teams include ASC Ville de Dakar from Senegal, APR Basketball Club from Rwanda, FUS Rabat from Morocco, Nairobi City Thunder from Kenya, Club Africain from Tunisia, JCA Kings from Côte d’Ivoire, Maktown Flyers from Nigeria and Al Ahly Ly from Libya. Together, these teams demonstrate the depth of basketball talent emerging across the continent.
How Teams Qualified
The qualification process combines domestic success with continental competition. Seven teams qualified automatically after winning their national leagues in Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia.
Meanwhile, the remaining five teams secured their places through the Road to BAL qualifying tournaments organised by FIBA Africa between October and December 2025. Therefore, the tournament brings together both established champions and emerging challengers from across the continent.
The Competition Format
Each conference will stage a 15 game group phase. During this stage, every team faces the other five teams in its conference once. Consequently, the format ensures balanced competition and allows teams to test themselves early in the season.
The opening match will see APR face Al Ahly Ly in Pretoria. Later that evening, the Johannesburg Giants will take on Dar City in front of a home crowd.
A Platform for African Basketball
At the end of the group stages, the top eight teams across both conferences will advance to the Playoffs in Kigali. From there, the competition will conclude with the BAL Finals, where Africa’s leading club team will be crowned.
Overall, the return of the BAL to South Africa reflects the league’s growing influence. The addition of new teams, expanding audiences and multiple host cities demonstrate how African basketball continues to evolve. As the 2026 season begins, the league once again provides a platform where African talent, competition and entertainment meet on a continental stage.
