For years, the NBA has been playing regular season games outside the US, including several in Europe. However, there has never been a game in Germany. That will change in the coming season.
In a press release early Wednesday afternoon, the NBA announced its three-year plan for regular season games in Europe. In addition to another game in London, there will also be a first: the NBA will play a competitive game in Germany for the first time.
More specifically, it will be at the Uber Arena in Berlin, where the Orlando Magic, including their three German players, will face the Memphis Grizzlies. The date has also been set: January 15, 2026. But that’s not all: two years later, in 2028, another NBA game is set to take place in Berlin. Which teams will be participating is likely to remain unclear for a while.
“Having the Orlando Magic and the NBA play a regular season game in our hometown of Berlin means everything to us,” said brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner. “We grew up here and dreamed of moments like this. It’s a great honor to represent Berlin and Germany and show how much the city and the country love basketball.”
NBA games in Europe have been a tradition for several years. In 2011, two teams played on European soil for the first time, with the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets taking part. In the following years, these matchups became increasingly common. Last season, the San Antonio Spurs, featuring French star player Victor Wembanyama, played two games in Paris within a few days.
