BK Arena comes alive as BAL 2026 Playoffs get underway

It’s all systems go for the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Playoffs, following 30 games across the Kalahari and Sahara conferences in March and April.

Four teams, including two-time Kenyan champions Nairobi City Thunder were eliminated, leaving eight to compete for the 2026 BAL title.

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This is the sixth season of the league since its inception in 2021.

For the first time, two contenders have the opportunity to win the trophy for the second time.

Of the eight playoff teams, four are making their debut, three have previously reached the playoffs and one has reached the postseason for the first time after falling short in the conference stages last year.

Al Ahly SC of Egypt won the BAL title in their debut season in 2023, and the following year, Angola’s Petro de Luanda won it.

Both teams won their BAL titles in Kigali, Rwanda.

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Libya’s Al Ahly Ly finished second in 2024, while Moroccan giants FUS Rabat are appearing in the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

Meanwhile, Rwanda's RSST Tigers, Tanzania's Dar City and Tunisia's Club Africain are appearing in the league for the first time, while Senegal's ASC Ville de Dakar have reached the playoffs for the first time since their debut in 2025.

The 12 games will take place between Friday, 22 and Sunday, 31 May as the BAL Playoffs are returning to the iconic BK Arena for the first time since 2024. The 2025 BAL Playoffs were hosted by the South African city of Pretoria.

The Playoffs matchups see higher-ranked teams take on lower-ranked teams, with the No. 1 team facing the No. 8 team, the No. 2 team facing the No. 7 team, the No. 3 team facing the No. 6 team, and the No. 4 team facing the No. 5 team.

In the quarterfinals, teams will play a two-game series, with the team that registers the highest aggregate points advancing to the semi-finals.

Over the past five seasons, the BAL has produced five different champions, raising the question of whether there will be a sixth or if either Al Ahly SC or Petro de Luanda will become the first two-time champions.

This is the first time that half of the quarterfinalists have reached this stage of the competition. It is also the first time in BAL history that two former league MVPs – Nuni Omot (2023) and Jo Lual Acuil (2024) have returned to the BAL Playoffs.

As well as the prestige of winning the BAL, the new champion will have the chance to represent Africa at the next FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Singapore.

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Quarter Finals

Ville de Dakar Vs Al Ahly

FUS Rabat vs RSSB Tigers

Al Ahly Ly Vs Club Africain

Dar City Vs Petrol de Luanda