If you’re scratching your head wondering when is NBA Cup action actually happening, you aren't alone. Honestly, the timing of this thing feels a little like a moving target if you don't follow the league's new calendar religiously. Basically, the NBA Cup (that Emirates-sponsored mid-season tournament everyone is still getting used to) just wrapped up its 2025 run this past December.
It's a weird spot for fans. We're in January 2026 now. The "Cup" energy has faded into the grind of the regular season, but if you’re looking for when the next one starts or trying to figure out why everyone was wearing those bright jerseys last month, here is the deal.
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The 2025 NBA Cup schedule kicked off on October 31, 2025, and ran all the way through the championship game on December 16, 2025.
When is NBA Cup Play Returning?
So, since we just finished the 2025 edition, you’re probably looking ahead. If the league sticks to the rhythm they’ve established over the last three years—and there is zero reason to think they won't—you should expect the 2026 NBA Cup to start right around late October 2026.
The NBA loves tradition, but they love TV ratings more. Friday nights in November have become the "Cup Nights." It’s sort of become a thing where you know if it’s a Tuesday or Friday in November, those games actually matter for the trophy.
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Breaking down the 2025 timeline
Just to give you a sense of how the schedule usually breathes, look at what just happened. The group stage games were spread out across several "Cup Nights" to keep the regular season from feeling too cluttered.
- Group Play: October 31 – November 28, 2025.
- Quarterfinals: December 9 and 10, 2025.
- Semifinals: December 13, 2025 (in Las Vegas).
- Championship: December 16, 2025 (also in Vegas).
The New York Knicks ended up taking the 2025 title, beating the San Antonio Spurs in a game that actually felt like a playoff atmosphere. Jalen Brunson grabbed the MVP. It’s funny because, early on, people called this a "gimmick," but seeing the intensity in that Vegas final? The players definitely care about that prize money.
Why the Schedule is Kinda Confusing
The biggest hurdle for most fans is the "hidden" nature of the games. Every single NBA Cup game—except for the final—counts as a regular-season game. It’s a 2-for-1 deal.
You’ve got 30 teams divided into six groups. They play four group games. If you're wondering why your team is suddenly playing a "tournament game" on a random Tuesday in November, it's because the NBA wanted to inject some stakes into those early-season dog days.
The Las Vegas Factor
The NBA has basically turned Las Vegas into the permanent home for the "Final Four" of the NBA Cup. T-Mobile Arena hosts the semis and the final. It’s usually the second week of December. If you’re planning a trip for the 2026 version, aim for that December 10–17 window.
One thing that confuses people is the "extra" games. Teams that don't make the knockout rounds just play their normal 82-game schedule. But the two teams that make the final actually end up playing 83 games total. That 83rd game doesn't count toward their regular-season record. It's just for the trophy and the cash.
Key Dates to Watch for Next Year
While the official 2026-27 schedule won't drop until late summer (usually August), we can basically set our watches by the patterns.
- Late July 2026: The NBA will hold the "Draw" to decide the groups. This is based on the previous year's records.
- August 2026: The full schedule is released, including the specific "Cup Nights."
- Late October 2026: Tip-off for the next tournament.
It’s a bit of a wait. Currently, we’re heading toward the 2026 All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome in February. But the Cup has successfully filled that weird gap between the World Series and Christmas Day.
Actionable Tips for Following the NBA Cup
If you want to stay ahead of the curve for the next one, don't just wait for the NBA app to ping you.
Keep an eye on the Point Differential. That is the secret sauce of the NBA Cup. Because only eight teams advance (six group winners and two wild cards), the tiebreakers are brutal. In 2025, we saw teams like the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat scraping through on wild card spots purely because they ran up the score in late-game situations.
- Mark your calendars for Fridays in November. These are almost always Cup games.
- Check the court designs. If the floor looks like a neon fever dream, it’s a Cup game.
- Follow the "Pots." Before the tournament starts, teams are ranked in pots 1 through 5 based on their previous season. This determines who ends up in the "Group of Death."
The NBA Cup is here to stay. It’s changed the way we look at November basketball, turning what used to be "meaningless" games into high-stakes sprints. For now, the Knicks are the kings of the mid-season, but the road to Vegas starts all over again in about nine months.
To keep track of how the current standings are affected by these results, you can monitor the Eastern and Western Conference playoff races, as the Cup wins gave the top seeds a massive head start in the 2025-26 standings.