The NBA has settled on its next attempt at fixing its All-Star Game.
Appearing on FS1’s Breakfast Ball on Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that the league will shift to a USA vs. the World format for its 2026 All-Star Game, which will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. While the exact details of the new format have yet to be finalized, Silver also shared that the game will take place in the afternoon of Feb. 15, 2026, sandwiched between NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympics.
“So next year as part of our new media deals, the All-Star Game returns to NBC, where it was when we were younger. And it so happens that next season, we’ll be smack in the middle of the Winter Olympics,” Silver said. “The very day we’re on, the lead-in will be Winter Olympic events and then coming out of the All-Star Game, which is now going to be in the afternoon instead of the evening, there will be more Olympic events.
“So what better time to feature some form of USA against the World? I’m not exactly sure what the format will be yet. I obviously paid a lot of attention to what the NHL did with the [4 Nations Face-Off], which was a huge success. But also going back, last summer, our Olympic competition was a huge success.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirms there will be USA vs. the World in the 2026 All-Star Game 👀
“I’m not exactly sure what the format will be yet. I paid a lot of attention to what the NHL did, which was a huge success.”@craigcartonlive | @DannyParkins | @markschlereth pic.twitter.com/WsEzhe4Jkk
— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) June 4, 2025
Silver also noted that he’s a big fan of the more physical style of international play, as well as its 40-minute format.
While it remains to be seen how the NBA will approach the exhibition, the fact that it’s making another change to its All-Star format is hardly surprising. Over the years, the league has struggled with maintaining a competitive All-Star Game, with changes including a players draft and this past season’s mini-tournament.
None of those formats, however, have caught on and the ratings have suffered in the process, with the three lowest-rated NBA All-Star Games in league history each coming in the last three years. Considering the recent success of the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off, a USA vs. the World NBA challenge will certainly be welcomed by many fans, while its presence amid Olympic programming also makes for an interesting wrinkle.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.