NBL: League structures and key dates for 2025/26 season

The 2025/26 NBL season begins with the National Cup opening round on September 20-21, 2025, featuring a redesigned Men's competition alongside the WNBL and Jnr. NBL. Men's Division One will form a new independent league, acting as Britain's second-tier league once ratified by the British Basketball Federation, comprising the 13 teams from last season plus one promoted team.

The season schedule includes a mid-season break starting December 20-21, 2025, with play resuming January 3-4, 2026. The National Cup Finals are scheduled for January 24-25, 2026. The regular season concludes in March, followed by the Senior Playoff Finals on April 25-26, 2026, and the Jnr. NBL Final Fours on May 2-3, 2026, ending the season.

The NBL has grown by 4.2% to 1,077 teams, marking the second consecutive season exceeding 1,000 teams. Membership registration, including individual NBL licensing, opens on July 14, 2025. Clubs will send registration links directly to members (not via the website) after they are activated and trained on the new system, which may cause delays.

Fixtures for the NBL, WNBL, and Jnr. NBL, incorporating promotions, relegations, and new entries, will be distributed to teams soon for venue confirmation. Teams marked with an asterisk (*) remain unconfirmed pending final payments.

League organizers anticipate another record-breaking season, citing increased interest. The top tier of the NBL pyramid (2025/26) will be structured in two groups, similar to the previous Division Two. It includes former D1 winners, newly promoted teams (Birmingham City University, Oxford Hoops, Sheffield Sharks, CoLA Southwark Pride, London Lions II), and others like Manchester Magic and Team Solent Kestrels.

WNBL Division One features 12 teams, headlined by defending League and Playoff champions CoLA Southwark Pride. Challengers include Ipswich, Brent Bulls, and Anglia Ruskin University, with Bromsgrove Bears and London All Stars joining from Division Two West.