DUBAI: Basketball fans asked for it, and the National Basketball Association delivered — the 2026 NBA All-Star Game will debut a new US vs. World format.
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Taking place at the Intuit Dome in California on Sunday, Feb. 15, one world and two US teams will take part in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games, bringing renewed intensity to All-Star Weekend. The event will air at 2 a.m. GST, giving fans in the Middle East a chance to watch the action live.
The NBA’s recent innovations have helped pave the way for the change. The Steph Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu three-point contest at the 2024 All-Star Weekend was a major success and generated huge television and social media viewership, proving fans’ hunger for fresh formats and new energy. The U.S. vs. World concept is expected to follow the same path.
The new approach reflects the reality of today’s NBA. Nearly a quarter of the league’s players come from outside the US and the last eight MVPs were all born abroad.
