NBL26 Finals Dates: When the Championship Series Begins (UPDATED)

Ryan Tucker

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Last updated: 18 Mar 2026

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Ryan Tucker 18 Mar 2026

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NBL26 Finals: Sydney Kings vs Adelaide 36ers in a best-of-five series.
Games begin March 21; Sydney has home court advantage.
Expect tight schedules and strategic play for the championship.

NBL26 Finals Dates

NBL26 Finals Dates: When the Play-In and Championship Series Begin

The NBL26 Finals schedule is now locked in, with the Championship Series confirmed between the Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers.

NBL26 Finals Dates: When the Play-In and Championship Series Begin
NBL26 Play-In and Semi Finals Recap
NBL26 Championship Series Schedule
How the Championship Series Works
Why the Schedule Matters

The Play-In Tournament and Semi Finals have already shaped the bracket, and attention now turns to a best-of-five series that will decide the NBL26 champion.

NBL26 Play-In and Semi Finals Recap

The Play-In Tournament tipped off on March 4 and ran through to March 7, finalising the teams that advanced into the Semi Finals.

Top two teams bypassed this stage and moved straight into the Semi Finals, which were played between March 11 and March 18.From there, Sydney and Adelaide emerged as the final two teams left standing.

NBL26 Championship Series Schedule

The Championship Series begins on Saturday March 21 and follows a best-of-five format.

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (AEDT)	Venue	Broadcast
Game 1	Sydney Kings vs Adelaide 36ers	Saturday March 21	7:00pm	Qudos Bank Arena	ESPN & 10 Drama
Game 2	Adelaide 36ers vs Sydney Kings	Friday March 27	7:30pm	Adelaide Entertainment Centre	ESPN
Game 3	Sydney Kings vs Adelaide 36ers	Sunday March 29	2:30pm	Qudos Bank Arena	ESPN & 10
Game 4*	Adelaide 36ers vs Sydney Kings	Wednesday April 1	7:30pm	Adelaide Entertainment Centre	ESPN
Game 5*	Sydney Kings vs Adelaide 36ers	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC

*Games 4 and 5 if required

How the Championship Series Works

The NBL Championship Series is played as a best-of-five.

The higher seed hosts Games 1, 3 and 5, which is why Sydney holds home court advantage in this matchup.

Games are typically spaced across a two to three day window, which places a premium on depth, recovery and in-game adjustments.

Why the Schedule Matters

The finals schedule compresses quickly at this stage of the season.

Teams that come through the Play-In and Semi Finals carry minutes in their legs, while top seeds benefit from rest and preparation. That balance often shows up as the series progresses, especially beyond Game 2.

For a full breakdown of how the Play-In and Finals structure works, see our NBL26 Finals Format guide.

For a closer look at which teams are fighting to qualify, read our NBL26 Finals Race breakdown.