Port Harcourt retains NPBL playoffs hosting rights for fourth consecutive year

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By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye 
 
 

Port Harcourt has been confirmed as the host city for the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Playoffs, marking the fourth consecutive year the Rivers State capital will stage the league’s decisive Phase 3 competition.

The League Management Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) announced a slight adjustment to the schedule, with the playoffs now set to hold from August 29 to September 6, 2026, at the Basketball Stadium, 59 Niger Street, Port Harcourt Township, Rivers State.

The competition was initially scheduled for August 22 to 29.

In a communiqué dated August 21 and jointly signed by NBBF Vice-President and League Chairman Babatunde Ogunade and Secretary-General Amina Amanchi, the federation congratulated the eight qualifying teams for their professionalism and performances throughout the season.

According to the revised programme, teams are expected to arrive in Port Harcourt on August 29 for pre-tournament technical meetings, while competitive action will begin on August 30 and run through September 5. Teams will depart the following day.

The eight-team round-robin tournament will feature four representatives from the Atlantic Conference, defending champions Rivers Hoopers, Maktown Flyers, Hoops & Read and Lagos Raptors.

The Savannah Conference will be represented by Aso Sky Hawks, 313 Warriors, Gboko City Chiefs and Kano Pillars.

The decision to retain Port Harcourt further strengthens Rivers State’s position as one of the major hubs of elite domestic basketball in Nigeria.

The city has hosted the NPBL playoffs and Final Four in previous years, with the Basketball Stadium providing a familiar setting for players, officials and basketball supporters.

With the country’s top eight teams set to battle for supremacy, the 2026 NPBL Playoffs are expected to provide another thrilling chapter in Nigerian domestic basketball while giving fans in Port Harcourt the opportunity to witness the league’s best teams compete for the national title.

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