When Does the 2025-26 NBA Season Start? Key Dates, Opening Night & Full Schedule
The NBA is back, and excitement is building as the 2025-26 season approaches. With the Oklahoma City Thunder entering the year as the reigning NBA champions, every team will be looking to knock them off the throne. From preseason action around the globe to marquee holiday matchups and the midseason Emirates NBA Cup, fans won’t have to wait long for the drama to begin.
If you’re wondering exactly when training camps begin, when Opening Night tips off, and what major dates to circle on your calendar, here’s the full schedule for the 2025-26 NBA season.
Full 2025-26 NBA Schedule
Here are the key dates and events you need to know before and during the upcoming NBA season:
• September 23: Media days for international preseason teams (Nets, Knicks, 76ers, Pelicans, Suns)
• September 24: Training camps open for international preseason teams
• September 29: Training camps open for all other teams / Media days for 25 teams
• October 2 & 4: NBA Abu Dhabi Games — Knicks vs. 76ers (Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi)
• October 3 & 5: NBA Melbourne Series — Pelicans vs. NBL teams (Melbourne, Australia)
• October 6: NBA Canada Series — Nuggets vs. Raptors (Vancouver, B.C.)
• October 10 & 12: NBA China Games — Nets vs. Suns (Macao)
• October 17: Preseason ends
• October 20: Rosters set for Opening Day (5 p.m. ET)
• October 21: Start of 2025-26 NBA Regular Season — Opening Night
• October 31: Emirates NBA Cup 2025 – Group Play tips off
• November 1: NBA Mexico City Game — Pistons vs. Mavericks (Arena CDMX, Mexico)
• December 25: Christmas Day Games (Cavs at Knicks, Spurs at Thunder, Mavs at Warriors, Rockets at Lakers, Wolves at Nuggets)
When is the First NBA Game of the 2025-26 Season?
The new season tips off on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, with a blockbuster doubleheader on NBC and Peacock.
- 7:30 p.m. ET: Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder — the reigning champs open their title defense at home in front of what’s sure to be a fired-up Thunder crowd.
- 10:00 p.m. ET: Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers — a classic West Coast showdown featuring two of the league’s most star-studded teams.
This marks the league’s return to NBC as the official broadcast partner, adding an extra layer of nostalgia and excitement to Opening Night.
First Week Schedule Highlights
Here’s a closer look at the first slate of regular-season games:
• October 21 (Opening Night): Rockets at Thunder, Warriors at Lakers
• October 22: Full slate of matchups featuring Eastern and Western Conference contenders
• October 23: Rivalry clashes as playoff hopefuls look to make an early statement
• October 25 (Saturday Showcase): Nationally televised games highlighting top stars across the league
The first week will be packed with storylines: OKC beginning their title defense, the Lakers and Warriors testing veteran cores, and young stars like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and VJ Edgecombe aiming to shine from day one.
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