The National Basketball Association announced Wednesday that the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs will compete in two European cities next year as the league continues its multi-season commitment to international regular-season play.
The two franchises are set to face each other on January 14 in Paris, followed by another matchup in Manchester three days later on January 17.
This European tour continues the NBA’s previously announced plan to stage a minimum of six regular-season contests across Europe during a three-year period.
The initiative launched with matchups between the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic this past January, with those teams playing in Berlin and London. Future games scheduled for the 2027-28 campaign will occur in Berlin and Paris.
George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s managing director for Europe and the Middle East, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming games in an official statement.
“Playing games in Paris and Manchester reflects the strong momentum we’re seeing for basketball and the NBA in France, the UK and across Europe,” George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s managing director for Europe and the Middle East, said in a statement.
“As interest in the game continues to grow across the continent, we look forward to working with the Pelicans, the Spurs and our partners to deliver unique experiences for fans, aspiring players and the local communities.”
The upcoming Paris matchup will represent the NBA’s 16th contest in France dating back to 1991 and marks the sixth regular-season game held in Paris. While Manchester has not previously welcomed a regular-season NBA game, the event will be the 20th contest involving an NBA franchise in England since 1993.
