After six seasons as a touring competition, the Basketball Africa League could enter a new phase. According to Sports Business Journal, the NBA is moving forward with a plan to sell up to 10 permanent BAL franchises to private investors.
NBA executives are due to take advantage of the UN General Assembly in New York this week to meet representatives of several African governments. The meetings aim to present the new vision for the BAL before negotiations continue with priority bidders.
Initial offers submitted in June came from Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, with several reported to have exceeded $50 million, among the largest investments ever proposed in African basketball.
The BAL has been organised jointly by the NBA and FIBA since its creation, with 12 teams from 12 countries qualifying each year for a competition played across multiple host cities. That format is expected to shift from the 2027 season, with the NBA planning to integrate permanent franchises gradually while keeping a touring schedule before settling on a championship of 10 privately owned teams playing home and away.
Two places would still be awarded each season through qualifying, keeping the total at 12 participants with a base of 10 permanent franchises, a semi-closed model similar to that envisaged for NBA Europe. Investors could take over existing BAL clubs, back new formations or create entirely new franchises, while football clubs or established brands on the continent could launch their own basketball sections.
