The schedule reserves 19 October as a rest day before sending teams into knockout play the following day.
At Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Hall, the published programme puts hosts Shabab Al Ahli against Aleppo Police on Thursday 15 October. The tournament is scheduled to run through 21 October. Group games are set for 15 to 18 October, followed by knockout matches on 20 October.
UAE Cue Sports reported that the third season of the Dubai Basketball League features 23 clubs and academies, 1,812 players and 321 matches through 13 December 2026. This is a separate competition from the international tournament described in the published schedule.
Group games lead into the final-day deciders
Shabab Al Ahli and Antonine of Lebanon are listed in Group A. The group also includes Al Qurain of Kuwait and Aleppo Police of Syria. Group B names Riyadi and Beirut of Lebanon. Egypt's Al Ahli and Angas of the Philippines are also listed, alongside UAE side Al Wasl. The release says eight clubs will compete, but the Group B list names five. The Dubai Sports Council sponsors the event. The UAE Basketball Association supervises it, while Global Active Sports organises it.
The opening day pairs Al Qurain with Antonine after the hosts' game. Riyadi Beirut then meet Al Wasl. On 16 October, Al Qurain play Shabab Al Ahli. Antonine face Aleppo Police, and Al Ahli meet Angas. A recent report on Shabab Al Ahli football concerns a separate competition; this October programme is for basketball.
A separate competition is also scheduled in the region: News of Bahrain reports that the 38th Arab Men's Clubs Basketball Championship in Lebanon has 12 teams, with its final planned for 20 October. Its Group A includes Al Ahli Aleppo of Syria-not Aleppo Police-alongside Sagesse and Central Club of Lebanon, Al Seeb of Oman, Al Rayyan of Qatar and Manama of Bahrain. The reported format gives each team five round-robin games, with the top four in each group advancing to quarter-finals on 18 October after a rest day.
After the break, the 20 October schedule matches the teams finishing third in Group A and fourth in Group B. Another game pairs third in Group B with fourth in Group A. The group winners then meet the other group's runners-up to decide the finalists and the remaining placement matches.
On 21 October, teams play for seventh and eighth place, then fifth and sixth. The third-place game and final follow.
The published draw leaves a question
Group standings determine the route to the title and the placement games. But the draw's stated eight-team field does not match the five names listed in Group B.
The published programme gives the listed 15 October Shabab Al Ahli-Aleppo Police game a place on the schedule. Available results contain no official result or score for that fixture. They also contain no organiser statement, so its staging and outcome remain unconfirmed.
