(PBA image)
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is taking the game global once again—this time heading to Bahrain in December for official Season 50 action.
The exciting news was revealed during halftime of Game 5 of the Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and Bahrain Basketball Association (BBA) President Alaa Mudara making the announcement.
Three PBA teams will fly to Bahrain to play official league games on December 15 and 17, marking a thrilling milestone in the league’s international expansion.
“We’re very excited to bring the PBA to Bahrain,” said Mudara, a former Bahrain national team player who once played at the Big Dome back in the late ‘70s. “While we’ve hosted Filipino basketball before—such as national team games—this will be the first time PBA teams will compete here, and it’s for the thousands of Filipino fans who miss watching the action live in the Philippines.”
Joining Mudara at the press conference was BBA officer Abdullah Malabes, whose son Bader once suited up for La Salle. Malabes noted the PBA visit will align perfectly with Bahrain’s National Day celebrations on December 16, making the event even more festive.
This Bahrain series will be the second international stop for the PBA next season, following another anticipated showcase in Dubai slated for the third week of October.
Marcial confirmed that while the specific teams are still being finalized, the contract has been signed, and the games are locked in for primetime in Bahrain. “We’re still checking the teams’ schedules, but everything’s a go,” he added.
While three squads head overseas, the rest of the league will continue local action in Manila, keeping the PBA pulse alive both at home and abroad.
