It's not a secret that the popularity of the NBA All-Star Game has waned through the years. The NBA can't seem to find just the right sweet spot that can win back fans who have grown tired of the event, in part because of the apparent lack of competitiveness they see in the players involved. At the same time, frequent experimentation with the format has left fans constantly confused.
Now, the NBA All-Star Game seems to be headed in another direction, with Shams Charania reporting a possible introduction of a new format.
“The 2026 NBA All-Star Game format is likely to feature a round-robin tournament consisting three eight-player squads of two USA teams and one World team, sources tell ESPN. NBA and players union presented format to the Competition Committee on Wednesday and response was positive,” Charania wrote in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
This potential new iteration of the midseason exhibition game will still feature multiple teams, but instead of four like it did in the 2025 edition, there will be three squads competing in 2026. It is said to have garnered positive reception from the stakeholders.
Added Charania: The two USA teams and one World squad would play each other in 12-minute per quarter, Ryder Cup-style games, sources said. Governors, team executives and players discussed the format positively within the Competition Committee meeting on Wednesday.
In the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, the four teams in the event played in a single-elimination tourney, but it apparently did not result in the kind of success the league hoped. Otherwise, the NBA would have stuck to it.
Fans also have strong reactions to the recent report regarding the potential changes to the NBA All-Star Game.
“Over complicating it. Just give us 48 minutes of USA vs World,” shared a fan on X.
“Congratulations on making the All-Star game! You get to play more basketball!! Opt out and take the few days of rest.,” another one said.
“These guys don’t know what to do with the All-Star Game anymore. Each year, it’s this and that, but if this happens, then that. Here are the rules,” commented a different social media user.
A different comment read: “That format could really spice things up love the Ryder Cup-style idea.”
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game is scheduled for Feb. 15 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
