A new era for the Basketball African League is brewing
- Victor Komonibo
- Nov 3, 2025
- 2 min read
The Basketball African League is preparing for a significant shift, moving toward a franchise-based structure, where permanent team slots replace the current open-qualification format.
This NBA and FIBA partnership has excelled since its inception in 2020; however, it has been more of a tournament than an actual league. Some teams qualify through the “Road to BAL” tournaments, while others qualify automatically as national champions from select, predetermined countries.
NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told Andscape:
“We are absolutely exploring the possibility of bringing on franchises in the BAL … it makes sense to have individuals who have skin in the game and who have vested interest in investing and growing basketball on the continent.”
He expressed the need for state-of-the-art arenas and other infrastructure that will elevate the fan experience and ignite value creation opportunities.
This new model could mark a major turning point for African club basketball. Having stable franchises provides teams the ability to build brand recognition, invest in infrastructure, nurture fan bases, and engage more deeply in their local markets.
Alongside the franchise change, another rumored development is the creation of a new African development league designed to feed into the BAL, similar to the NBA's G League. This will likely replace the road to BAL tournaments played across different zones.
But with every development comes a bit of resistance
The Pushback
Stakeholders and fans expressed their concern, stating that the existing format seems more suited to the basketball climate on the continent. Teams have the opportunity to perform on the big stage regardless of their status, and players are easily scouted.
On the Limitless Africa podcast, Michael Finley of NBA Kenya said, "Africa is the largest talent pool on this planet for basketball." Hence, tournaments like the road to BAL play a huge role in showcasing these talents to a wider audience.
Transitioning to permanent franchises may risk disconnecting from local national leagues if not managed carefully, and the economics of running a pan-African league are complex — travel, logistics, infrastructure, and calendar alignment all matter
How will this league align with domestic calendars? Will there be promotion or relegation?
What happens to player visibility?
How do lower-tier teams benefit from this?
How does this new format help fans?
These are a few questions that need to be answered before this new model takes shape
The Upside
It's clear to see that the proposed model, alongside other developments, serves multiple purposes such as bringing high‐level basketball to new markets, engaging more fans in different parts of Africa, deepening the sport’s presence, and elevating the economic state of base locations.
Local fans get to enjoy major games closer to home; players earn more and perform in new venues before larger audiences, while sponsors and broadcasters have more markets, more exposure, and greater potential returns.
If the BAL and its partners deliver on the promise of infrastructure, professionalism, and opportunity, the sport could experience a leap forward.
In simple terms, African basketball is growing up - and the court is getting bigger
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