When does the NBA Season 2026 starts? Date, time and TV channel for the first game of the season
The 2026-27 NBA campaign begins with a three-game opening night on October 20
Basketball fans will not have to wait much longer for the return of the NBA , with the 2026-27 regular season officially beginning on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
The league will open the campaign with three nationally televised games, giving supporters an immediate look at several of the teams expected to attract attention throughout the season.
According to the NBA's official key dates, the regular season begins with the Boston Celtics visiting the Detroit Pistons at 3 p.m. ET, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers facing the defending champion New York Knicks at 7 p.m. ET.
The opening-night tripleheader concludes with the Oklahoma City Thunder traveling to face the San Antonio Spurs at 9:30 p.m. ET.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the first game is particularly convenient by NBA standards. Boston's visit to Detroit tips off at 8 p.m. BST, meaning fans do not need to stay up into the early hours to watch the opening contest of the new season.
The Celtics-Pistons matchup will be broadcast nationally in the United States on NBC and Peacock. The second and third games of the night will also be available through NBC/Peacock, creating a full evening of NBA action.
What to expect on NBA opening night
The first game has been deliberately scheduled as an afternoon contest, with Boston traveling to Detroit after the two teams recorded the Eastern Conference's best regular-season records in 2025-26.
It will therefore provide an early test for two teams entering the new campaign with significant expectations.
The second game could prove to be the centerpiece of the opening-night schedule. The 76ers at Knicks matchup will take place at Madison Square Garden, where New York will raise its championship banner after winning the 2025-26 NBA title.
The game also marks a major moment for Philadelphia, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown making their Philadelphia debuts.
The night then moves west for a rematch between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs . The teams meet again after their seven-game Western Conference Finals series in 2026, giving the final game of opening night an immediate postseason storyline.
The league's new season will also feature several changes to the television landscape. NBC and Peacock are taking on a major portion of the NBA's national coverage, while ESPN and ABC remain part of the league's broadcast lineup and Prime Video continues its NBA coverage.
The NBA has confirmed that national games are available through the corresponding streaming services, including Peacock for NBCUniversal games, ESPN App for ABC/ESPN games and Prime Video for Amazon's schedule.
Opening night is only the beginning of a packed first week. On Wednesday, October 21, ESPN will show the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. ET before the Golden State Warriors visit the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. ET.
The following night brings Cleveland against Philadelphia and Denver against Oklahoma City.
The 2026-27 regular season will eventually run through April 11, 2027, when all 30 teams are scheduled to be in action. Before then, fans will also have the Emirates NBA Cup, Christmas Day games, NBA All-Star 2027 in Phoenix and the later postseason to look forward to.
For fans simply asking when they can watch the first meaningful NBA game of the new campaign, the answer is clear: Tuesday, October 20, with Celtics vs. Pistons at 3 p.m. ET, or 8 p.m. BST in the UK, live on NBC and Peacock in the United States.
