New Format for the NBA All-Star Game in 2026
According to sources close to the matter, the NBA All-Star Game in 2026 could adopt a round-robin tournament format, involving three teams of eight players each: two teams from the United States and one world team. This format was presented by the NBA and the players’ union to the league’s competition committee on Wednesday, receiving a favorable response, according to sources. The three teams would face off in 12-minute matches in the style of the Ryder Cup. Governors, team executives, and players discussed the format during the competition committee meeting. The 2026 All-Star Game will be held in Los Angeles, at the Intuit Dome, the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers, on February 15. The game, which will be broadcast on NBC, will change its start time from Sunday night to Sunday afternoon. The format from last year, a four-team single-elimination tournament, with a target score of 40 points per round, generated mixed opinions, with several players expressing their dissatisfaction with the pauses during and between games. At the beginning of this year, NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned that the 2026 All-Star Game will be played during the Winter Olympics, and also near the venue of the 2028 Summer Games, showing openness to the idea of an international approach to the game. The NBA indicates that around 70% of the league’s players are American, which would make it easier for international players to be selected for the All-Star game in a United States vs. the world competition.It presents a great opportunity for us to do something with an international competition instead of the traditional All-Star formats we have used.
Adam Silver
