The NBA are introducing a new America versus the World format for the 2026 All-Star Game as part of its latest attempt to revive excitement around the traditional weekend of games.
The league has repeatedly altered the structure of the All-Star Game in recent years, including captain-led drafts and target-score endings, but have yet to find a solution to retaining a large audience.
Officials are hoping that framing the contest around national pride will encourage a more competitive edge and finally solve their issues.
The revised format will debut during All-Star Weekend in February 2026, which will be hosted at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Read on to discover everything you need to know ahead of an action-packed weekend.
How will the new format work?
The 2026 All-Star Game will be played as a round-robin tournament involving three teams: two American teams and one World team made up of international players.
Each team will consist of at least eight players, with selections drawn from both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
If the initial All-Star selections do not divide evenly between American and international players, NBA commissioner Adam Silver will add players to ensure each team has the required minimum.
A total of four games will be played, with each game lasting 12 minutes.
The opening round will see Team A face Team B. The winner of that game will then play Team C, followed by the loser of Game 1 taking on Team C in the third match.
After those three games, the two teams with the best records will advance to the championship game. If all three teams finish with a 1-1 record, qualification will be decided by point differential across the round-robin stage.
Who has been selected for the 2026 All-Star Game?
Starters
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)
Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)
Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers)
Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers)
Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Eastern Conference reserves
Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)
Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks)
Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors)
Norman Powell (Miami Heat)
Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers)
Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons)
Western Conference reserves
Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers)
Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets)
When is NBA All-Star Weekend 2026?
NBA All-Star Weekend will take place from Friday, 13th February to Sunday, 15th February, with all events staged in California
Friday, 13 February
NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
NBA Rising Stars Game
NBA HBCU Classic: Hampton University vs North Carolina A&T State University
Saturday, 15 February
NBA All-Star Saturday Night
Sunday, 16 February
NBA All-Star Game
How to watch NBA All-Star weekend
UK viewers will be able to follow the 2026 NBA All-Star Game through TNT Sports under the NBA’s multi-year broadcasting agreement in the UK and Ireland.
TNT Sports holds live rights to the league’s marquee events, including the All-Star Game, and will show the game on its platforms as part of its scheduled NBA coverage. Live matches and additional programming are available through TNT Sports’ TV channels and streaming via the discovery+ app.
In addition, NBA League Pass is available in the UK and Ireland and typically carries live, on-demand coverage of NBA games, including All-Star Weekend events.
In the United States, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game will be broadcast nationally on NBC, marking the first time the network has aired the All-Star Game since 2002. The game and All-Star Weekend events will also be available to stream live on Peacock.
