NBA to Introduce Three-Team Round-Robin Format for 2026 All-Star Game
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The NBA intends to replace its traditional All-Star setup with a three-team round-robin tournament on Feb. 15, 2026, at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
According to league sources, the event will pit two eight-player squads of U.S. talent against one eight-player international roster. Games are slated for 12-minute quarters, adopting a Ryder Cup–style structure in which each team faces the other two.
The proposal received favorable feedback from the NBA’s Competition Committee on Wednesday, with representatives from ownership, front offices, the NBPA and active players taking part in discussions.
Last February’s All-Star Weekend experimented with a four-team tournament involving three All-Star units and one team of rising stars, but television ratings showed limited fan engagement.
The league has hinted since spring that it would lean more heavily into its growing international player base. Roughly 25 percent of current NBA players were born outside the United States, and every Most Valuable Player winner since the 2017-18 season has been international.
The 2026 showcase will be the first All-Star Game carried by NBC following the conclusion of the NBA’s long-running partnership with TNT.
Source: Hoops Rumors
