Emirates NBA Cup tips off with new custom courts

The 2026 Emirates NBA Cup gets under way on Friday, October 30, with the New York Knicks taking on the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers visiting the Golden State Warriors.

In the UAE, the games tip off at 3:30am and 6am on Saturday, October 31. Both will stream on Prime Video.

All 30 NBA teams have been drawn into groups of five within their conference, based on last season’s records. Each team will play four group games on designated “Cup Nights” until November 27.

Eight teams will advance to the knockout rounds. The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be played in NBA team markets, with the final on Friday, December 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Games will once again be played on custom-designed, fully painted courts, inspired by Nike Basketball’s 2026 Standard Issue Collection.
The courts feature oversized team wordmarks, the host team’s logo at centre court, and the Emirates NBA Cup trophy in the paint.

New for this year, the tournament tagline “30 Teams. 8 Advance. 1 Champion.” will appear near the corner three-point line.

ALL 30 TEAM COURTS FOR @EMIRATES NBA CUP 2026 pic.twitter.com/RgBqe1VJCB

— NBA (@NBA) October 13, 2026