NBA All-Star Game 2026 to Feature New Tournament Format

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The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will take place at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on Sunday, February 15 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The game will feature a new tournament-style format, with all-star players split into three teams: USA Stars, USA Stripes, and World. The game will be broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock, and cord-cutters can watch through live TV streaming services like DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV.

Why it matters

The NBA has been trying to revamp the All-Star Game in recent years to keep players and fans engaged. The new tournament format is an attempt to add more excitement and competition to the event, though it may be confusing for some general fans. Seeing the best players from the US go up against the best from the rest of the world could be a compelling matchup.

The details

Under the new format, each player on the winning team will receive a $125,000 bonus, and the game's MVP will get the bonus as well as the NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP Award. The game will be broadcast live on NBC, with coverage beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. Cord-cutters can stream the game through various live TV streaming services that carry NBC, such as DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV.

• The 2026 NBA All-Star Game takes place on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
• Coverage of the game begins at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT on NBC.
• The game itself starts at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The NBA will be closely monitoring fan and player reaction to the new All-Star Game format, and may make further changes in the future based on that feedback.