Spurs, Pelicans set for January 2027 games in Paris and Manchester
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The San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans will meet in regular-season contests in Paris and Manchester on Jan. 14 and Jan. 17, 2027, the NBA announced Wednesday.
The matchup will return Spurs center Victor Wembanyama to his home country two years after San Antonio split a January 2025 Paris series with the Indiana Pacers. It will also mark the NBA’s first regular-season appearance in Manchester, England.
“It’s an incredible honor to make our return to France and play our first-ever game in England, given the strong embrace we’ve felt from the community and fans across Europe,” Spurs CEO RC Buford said.
Head coach Mitch Johnson added that the club is “always looking forward to expanding the game and being part of the cool process of being able to play outside the country.”
Pelicans’ first overseas regular-season action
While the Pelicans played preseason games in China in 2016 and in Europe in 2008, the January dates will be their initial regular-season contests outside North America. “We are grateful to be part of the NBA’s continued international growth efforts, and we are excited to help grow the game globally and connect with new generations of basketball fans,” executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said.
NBA’s European slate expands
To date, the league has staged five regular-season games in Paris; Manchester will become its newest European stop. The NBA previously pledged to schedule at least six regular-season games on the continent between the 2025-26 and 2027-28 campaigns, with Berlin and Paris already selected for 2027-28.
“Playing games in Paris and Manchester reflects the strong momentum we’re seeing for basketball and the NBA in France, the UK and across Europe,” said George Aivazoglou, the league’s managing director for Europe and the Middle East.
Earlier this season, the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic split a two-game series in Berlin and London.
Broader international push
The NBA and FIBA are deep into planning for a new European league that could launch in fall 2027, with Paris and Manchester among the expected franchise locations.
San Antonio has invested heavily in its French presence since drafting the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama first overall in 2023, rolling out a “Spurs Week Paris” program featuring retail events, youth clinics and court renovations. Similar fan and community activities are scheduled around the 2027 games for both clubs.
For New Orleans, the trip follows another international appearance by an affiliated franchise: the NFL’s Saints, also owned by Pelicans governor Gayle Benson, will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris on Oct. 25, 2026. “Together with the Saints playing in Paris next season, the opportunity for the Pelicans to play internationally in Paris and Manchester represents another significant step in strengthening our organization’s cultural and economic ties in these regions,” Benson said.
Source: ESPN
