The B.League Manila Games 2026 will be a two-game basketball exhibition event to be held on 9 and 10 September 2026. The series will host the first ever games between two teams of the B.League outside Japan.
 Event logo | |||||||||||
| Event | Pre-season exhibition games | ||||||||||
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| First game | |||||||||||
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| Date | 9 September 2026 | ||||||||||
| Venue | SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Philippines | ||||||||||
| Second game | |||||||||||
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| Date | 10 September 2026 | ||||||||||
| Venue | SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Philippines | ||||||||||
Background
editThe B.League Manila Games 2026 was first announced on 21 May 2026 in a press conference at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong by officials of the Japan B.League. The venture is supported by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the Philippine Basketball Association, with support from the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.[1][2][3]
The Levanga Hokkaido and Gunma Crane Thunders will play two games against each other on 9 and 10 September 2026 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.[1] Both teams were selected for having Philippine national team players in their roster; Dwight Ramos for Levanga and A. J. Edu for the Crane Thunders.[4] The Philippines is a popular overseas market, with the basketball organization citing a June 2025 survey that the B.League garnering 65.5 percent recognition in the Philippines.[5]
This will be the first time two clubs of the B.League will play in games outside Japan with the sanction of the league management.[4]
The games will be held in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship of the normalization of the Japan–Philippines relations and the 10th anniversary of the B.League.[3][4]
Venue
edit| Pasay, Philippines | |
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| SM Mall of Asia Arena | |
| Capacity: 15,000 | |
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Games
editThe Levanga Hokkaido and Gunma Crane Thunders will play against each other twice on 9 and 10 September 2026 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. Tip-off for both games are scheduled at 19:00 (UTC+8).[1]
References
edit- 1 2 3 Caacbay, Kennedy (21 May 2026). "Japan B.League to hold first overseas games in Manila". Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- ↑ Ganglani, Naveen (21 May 2026). "B.LEAGUE Bringing First-Ever Overseas Games to Manila in 2026". ALL-STAR. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- 1 2 Toralba, Abby. "B.League Manila tiffs set in Sept". Malaya Business Insight. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Bリーグが初のマニラゲーム開催へ…北海道vs群馬のプレシーズンマッチ2試合をフィリピンで実施（バスケットボールキング）" [B League to host Manila game for the first time... Two pre-season matches between Hokkaido and Gunma will be held in the Philippines]. Basketball King (in Japanese). 21 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026 – via Yahoo! Japan.
- ↑ "９月にマニラでオープン戦 Ｂリーグ初の海外主催試合" [Exhibition games in Manila in September, first overseas-hosted games of B-League]. Okinawa Times (in Japanese). Kyodo News. 21 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.