After clinching the National Club Championships, the Johannesburg Giants will represent SA on the continental stage in a 12-team tournament.
Pretoria, South Africa (02 March 2026) – Basketball fans, get ready, the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season is around the corner, and it’s kicking off in South Africa! From Friday, 27 March, the SunBet Arena in Pretoria will host the Kalahari Conference group phase, bringing together some of the continent’s top basketball talent in a thrilling 15-game schedule.
Among the 12 elite teams competing this season, South Africa will be proudly represented by the Johannesburg Giants. The team has already made waves locally after clinching a dramatic 79–76 victory over the KwaZulu-Natal Marlins at the National Club Championships in Cape Town last September. That win secured their place on the Road to BAL tournament, and now they’re gearing up to face top competition from across Africa.
The 2026 BAL season is the sixth in the league’s history and features clubs from 12 different African countries. The Johannesburg Giants will tip off their BAL campaign in the second game of the season, taking on Dar City at 7:00 p.m. CAT on 27 March.
Each team in the Kalahari Conference will face the other five teams once during the group phase, which runs from 27 March to 5 April in Pretoria.
After the group phases, the action moves to Morocco for the Sahara Conference from 24 April to 3 May at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat. The season will then conclude with the Playoffs and Finals at Kigali’s BK Arena from 22–31 May, where the best of the best will battle for the BAL crown.
With their recent domestic success and eyes set on BAL glory, now all the signs point to an exciting season for the Giants and South African basketball fans.
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