'Round-robin tournament': the 2026 NBA All-Star Game will pit the USA against the Rest of the World
The NBA changes the format of one of the most anticipated events of the season: three teams - instead of two - will play a four-game tournament.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Curry, in the All-Star Game 2025
The 75th edition of the NBA All-Star Game, one of the most anticipated events of each season, will feature a new format. It will be a tournament with three teams: two of them made up of American players and the other with foreign-born stars. In other words, it could be defined as a confrontation between the USA and the Rest of the World.
Through a statement, the NBA confirmed a news already advanced by the league's commissioner, Adam Silver, in early June. Each representative will call up eight players.
"The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will feature a new competition between the United States and the rest of the world," the NBA reported, adding that, with this new format, "four 12-minute games" will be played in a "round-robin tournament."
In addition, the best basketball league on the planet pointed out that the roster composed of foreign players will be called "World Team."
What the 2026 All-Star Game will be like
"As in the past, 24 NBA All-Stars (12 from each conference) will be selected as follows: The five players honored as starters from each conference will be selected by fans (50% of the vote), current NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%), and the seven players honored as reserves from each conference will be selected by NBA head coaches. This year, the All-Stars will be selected without regard to position. The process for assigning players to the two U.S. teams will be determined at a later date. If NBA All-Star voting does not result in the selection of 16 U.S. players and eight international players (which can include American players with ties to other countries if necessary), then NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select additional All-Stars to join either group to reach that minimum. In that case, at least one team would have more than eight players," the NBA detailed.
The three teams will play each other, giving a total of three games. The two with the best record will advance to a final, where they will battle for the championship. In the event that each of the teams achieves a win and a loss, the tiebreaker will be set by the difference in points scored and points received.
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