The Basketball Africa League (BAL) is set to embark on its landmark fifth season, promising an unprecedented level of competition and continental reach.
The BAL leadership has revealed that the 2025 season will feature a record-breaking six new teams, including historic first-time participants from Cape Verde and Kenya.
The league’s expansion underscores its growing influence and commitment to developing basketball talent across Africa.
The season will tip off on April 5th at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, Morocco, marking the first-ever BAL games to be held in the country.
The 2025 BAL season will showcase 12 elite teams from across the continent, including the debut appearances of Kriol Star Basketball from Cape Verde and Nairobi City Thunder from Kenya.
This expansion marks a significant milestone, broadening the league’s representation and fostering greater engagement from diverse basketball communities.
Returning to the competition are powerhouse teams such as defending champion Petro de Luanda from Angola and 2022 champion US Monastir from Tunisia.
Notably, Petro de Luanda and US Monastir are the only two teams to have qualified for all five BAL seasons, demonstrating their consistent dominance and commitment to the league.
The 12 participating teams are divided into three conferences: Kalahari, Sahara, and Nile. Each conference will engage in a 12-game group phase, with teams facing each other twice.
The home team in each country will play on every game day, ensuring a vibrant and engaging atmosphere for local fans.
The journey to the championship will culminate in Pretoria, South Africa, at the SunBet Arena.
Eight teams from the three conferences will advance to Pretoria for four seeding games, followed by an eight-game, single-elimination playoffs and finals from Friday, June 6th to Saturday, June 14th.