The NBA is returning to London for the first time since 2019 – how to get tickets

This year has been a whopper for sports events in London. We’ve already hosted the annual classics like Wimbledon and the record-breaking London Marathon, but there’s still the Women’s Rugby World Cup, NFL matches and Grand Sumo Tournament (the only professional sumo wrestling competition outside of Japan) to come. Add to that Euro 2028, the Women’s World Cup 2035 and ambitions to host the Superbowl, Olympics, World Athletics Championship and WrestleMania, it’s little wonder the Big Smoke has officially been named the best sporting city in the world. 

Now, the America’s number one basketball league is getting in on the action. In 2026, the NBA (National Basketball Association) London Game is making a comeback.

The NBA game was an annual fixture at the O2 Arena for eight years, but it went on hiatus back in 2019. So, this will be the first NBA match to take place in the UK since the Washington Wizards faced the New York Knicks at the venue six years ago. The league has also confirmed that it’ll be holding its first ever regular season game in Manchester in 2027. 

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: ‘London is now the undisputed sporting capital of the world and the NBA coming to The O2 in January 2026 will further cement our global status.’ Want to know more? We’ve got all the info you need ahead of the NBA’s return to London. 

When is the NBA coming to London? 

The National Basketball Association is coming back to London on Sunday, January 18 2026. 

Which NBA teams are coming to London? 

The London game will see the Memphis Grizzlies take on the Orlando Magic. 

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How to get tickets 

The O2 is yet to announce when tickets go on sale, but watch this space. You can be the first to find out about ticket release by registering on the NBA website. There’s also the opportunity to win two tickets to the game here – you’ve got until October 7 to enter. 

Ticket prices 

The price of tickets for NBA at the O2 is yet to be confirmed. But if they’re anything like the prices in America, we might expect the average ticket to range somewhere between £64 and £72.