NBA Cup 2026: Format, Groups and Dates
How the 2026 NBA Cup works — six groups of five, Cup nights from 30 October to 27 November, quarter-finals on 4–5 December and the championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on 11 December — with every group.
By MatchCountdown Editorial · Updated October 2026
The short answer
The NBA Cup is the league's in-season tournament, played inside the regular season. Group games are on Tuesday and Friday "Cup nights" from 30 October to 27 November 2026. Eight teams reach the knockout rounds: quarter-finals on 4–5 December, semi-finals on 8–9 December and the championship game on Friday 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Group games, quarter-finals and semi-finals count in the regular-season standings. The championship game does not, and its statistics are left out of regular-season totals.
Groups and who goes through
The 30 teams are split into six groups of five, three per conference, and each plays the other four in its group, two at home and two away. East A: Detroit, Toronto, Orlando, Milwaukee, Brooklyn. East B: New York, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Miami, Indiana. East C: Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Washington. West A: Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, Utah. West B: Oklahoma City, Minnesota, LA Clippers, New Orleans, Memphis. West C: San Antonio, LA Lakers, Portland, Golden State, Sacramento.
The six group winners go through, plus one wild card per conference: the second-placed team with the best group record. Ties are broken by head-to-head result, then point differential and total points in group games (overtime excluded), then the 2024–25 regular-season record, then a draw.
The knockout rounds
The knockout rounds are single games. The two best group records in each conference host the quarter-finals, and the wild card visits the team with the best group record. New this season, the semi-finals are played at the higher seed's arena in each conference rather than at a neutral venue; only the final moves to Indianapolis. Teams that do not reach the knockout rounds, and quarter-final losers, play extra regular-season games on 6–7 and 9–10 December.
Prize money and where to watch
Each player on the winning team receives $514,971, runners-up $205,988, semi-final losers $102,994 and quarter-final losers $51,497. In the US, Prime Video streams most group games, including two every Friday, and all knockout games; ESPN and NBC have five group games in Thanksgiving week. Jalen Brunson was the MVP of the 2025 Cup.
Every NBA Cup game on MatchCountdown shows its tip-off in your own time zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2026 NBA Cup final?
Friday 11 December 2026 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Does the NBA Cup final count in the standings?
No. Group games, quarter-finals and semi-finals count in the regular-season standings; the championship game does not.
How many teams reach the NBA Cup knockout rounds?
Eight: the six group winners and one wild card from each conference.
How much do NBA Cup winners earn?
$514,971 per player on the winning team in 2026.
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