Abu Dhabi and the NBA have solidified a long-term partnership that will bring more international basketball action to the United Arab Emirates. The Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) of Abu Dhabi announced a new deal ensuring the continuation of NBA pre-season games in the country, building on the success of hosting two games annually since 2022.
Expanding the Global Game
The multi-year agreement aims to establish Abu Dhabi as a central hub for basketball in the Middle East and beyond.
- The NBA will continue to host pre-season games in Abu Dhabi for the foreseeable future.
- A new NBA Global Academy will be established in Abu Dhabi to develop local and international talent.
- Experience Abu Dhabi will expand its partnership with the NBA to new markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Recent NBA games in Berlin and London saw record viewership on Prime Video.
Beyond the games themselves, the NBA is committing to establishing an NBA Global Academy branch in Abu Dhabi. This academy will focus on nurturing both local players and promising global prospects, aiming to firmly establish the UAE’s position within the international basketball landscape.
The partnership extends to increased NBA marketing initiatives within the region, alongside youth development programs and fan engagement activities. Experience Abu Dhabi, the DCT’s consumer tourism brand, will continue as the NBA’s official tourism partner, expanding its reach beyond the Middle East, China, and Europe to include new markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chair of Abu Dhabi DCT, emphasized the city’s ambitions, stating, “Extending our partnership with the NBA further strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as the new home of basketball in the Middle East and reinforces our commitment to our youth, inspiring our community, diversifying the economy, and elevating the emirate’s standing as a global destination.”
Al Mubarak continued, “The establishment of the NBA Global Academy in Abu Dhabi will open pathways for Emirati and UAE-based athletes, coaches, and sports professionals to learn from the world’s best, while our long-term hosting of the NBA Global Games will inspire the next generation. Beyond bringing world-class sporting events to our capital, the NBA’s youth programs and grassroots initiatives encourage healthy, active lifestyles and connect our residents to the universal values of sport. This multiyear commitment reflects Abu Dhabi’s ambition to be a hub for culture, entertainment, and excellence, for both our residents and visitors alike.”
Abu Dhabi DCT has been actively aligning itself with top-tier basketball, previously becoming a premium partner of Europe’s EuroLeague and EuroCup competitions in February 2025, and hosting the competitions’ Final Four the following May.
Record Viewership Drives Expansion
The announcement follows record-breaking viewership numbers for the NBA’s recent regular-season games in Berlin, Germany, and London, UK, broadcast on Prime Video.
Amazon’s streaming platform reported unprecedented viewership in both German and UK markets. The January 15 Berlin game, featuring German stars Franz and Moritz Wagner leading the Orlando Magic to a comeback victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, became the most-watched regular-season game ever in Germany and the most-watched NBA game in Europe during the 2025-26 season to date.
The January 18 game at London’s O2 Arena achieved the highest viewership for an NBA London game in Europe, marking a 90% increase compared to the league’s last visit to the city in 2019. Both the Berlin and London games were the most-watched NBA Global Games ever in the UK.
Prime Video’s 11-year broadcast partnership with the NBA, secured ahead of the 2025-26 season, is valued at $1.8 billion annually. The deal encompasses an expanded package of games in territories including Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Ireland.
This expanded package guarantees a minimum of 20 additional primetime regular-season games each year, a Conference Finals series annually, and the NBA Finals in six of the 11 years. Since the deal’s inception, Prime Video has reported a 184% year-over-year increase in viewership for its NBA coverage in Europe, with particularly strong growth in the UK (312%) and Germany (246%).
Alex Green, Managing Director of Prime Video Sport, International, noted, “These record audiences on Prime Video demonstrate an untapped demand for the NBA in Europe, and we saw that passion once again for the 2026 NBA Global Games last week. Audiences are consistently tuning in and making the NBA on Prime a part of their weekly sports schedule, especially across our primetime weekend games.”
Green added, “In Europe alone, we are broadcasting in seven different languages with dedicated play-by-play and analyst voices, so we’re delighted to see this response by fans.”
