NBA Announces New All-Star Game Format for 2025-26 Season

The NBA is shifting its format for the All-Star Game once again.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will have a new format. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NBA has officially announced the new All-Star Game format for the 2025-26 season.

The NBA shook up their All-Star Game format last season by shifting from Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference to a mini tournament. They will change up the format even more this season by holding a U.S. vs. World format for the 2026 All-Star Game, which will be held on Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The U.S. vs. World format has previously been floated for the All-Star Game, and will now be put into action.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will debut a new U.S. vs. World format, airing Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock.

Two U.S. teams and one international team will compete in a round-robin tournament with four 12-minute games.

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In the new All-Star format, two teams comprised of U.S. players and one team of international (or world) players will take part in a round robin tournament. The tournament will include four 12-minute games and each team will have at least eight players. The top two teams by record will then advance to the championship round. If all teams are 1-1, point differential will be used as the tiebreaker.

What will remain the same is that 12 players from each NBA conference will be selected to take part in the All-Star Game. What will differ is players will not be selected based on position, and if there are not 16 U.S. players and eight international players initially selected, NBA commissioner Adam Silver will tab additional All-Stars to fill any voids and reach those numbers.

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