- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
The Basketball Africa League will announce its first franchise owners in 2027, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said, as the league moves toward a permanent franchise model after four years of tournament-style competition.
Tatum said the league has "made significant progress on transitioning the Basketball Africa League to a franchise model." Dozens of bids arrived by the June deadline, with established interest in Nigeria and Senegal and emerging market proposals from Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa.
The Cape Town bid, backed by GrandWest Arena and Cape Town Tigers executives, was rejected despite founding owner Lari Kangas saying it was fully funded. Potential South Africa investors remain in discussions. Filmmaker Spike Lee signed a letter of intent to join AfroBallers' bidding group for a South Africa franchise. Actress Lupita Nyong'o was unveiled as a Nairobi City Thunder investor, though no permanent franchise was announced.
Teams currently qualify through FIBA's Road to BAL pathway, which will remain open for non-franchise clubs. Franchise teams would gain automatic recurring participation. The NBA and FIBA have co-run the league since its 2021 debut.
BAL revenue more than doubled from 2021 to 2024 before stabilizing, according to ESPN. The NBA hopes the franchise structure unlocks additional revenue, leads to profitability and increases grassroots basketball investment. No timeline has been set for when franchises would begin play.
Source: ESPN - Wed Oct 21, 5:22 AM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).