NBA All-Star 2028: Still No Host City, Four Reported Contenders and How to Plan for the Weekend

No NBA All-Star 2028 host city yet, and why that is unusual

The NBA usually picks its All-Star hosts years in advance. Phoenix, for example, was named host of the 2027 edition on March 7, 2024, almost three years before the event. By that standard, the 2028 host city is overdue: as of October 9, 2026, the league has not published any announcement for All-Star 2028, and its key-dates page for 2026-27 says nothing about it.

That leaves fans and travel planners in an awkward position. February 2028 is about 16 months away, and the city that will host the league’s biggest midseason event is still unknown. This guide covers what has been reported, what the 2027 edition tells us about timing, and how All-Star tickets generally work, so you can move quickly once the announcement comes.

The reported All-Star 2028 candidates

In February 2025, NBA reporter Evan Sidery reported that four cities were in the running for future All-Star Games: Atlanta, Boston, Milwaukee and Orlando. Separately, Milwaukee was reported to be bidding for either 2027 or 2028 at Fiserv Forum. Since Phoenix was later confirmed for 2027, the Milwaukee bid, if still active, would point to 2028 or later.

City	Status	Note
Atlanta	Reported candidate	Named in Feb 2025 reporting
Boston	Reported candidate	Named in Feb 2025 reporting
Milwaukee	Reported candidate	Bucks reportedly bid for 2027 or 2028 at Fiserv Forum
Orlando	Reported candidate	Named in Feb 2025 reporting

A word of caution: these are press reports from early 2025, not a shortlist published by the league. Bids can change, cities can drop out, and the NBA can choose a city that was never publicly mentioned. We will not rank the contenders or predict a winner. When the league decides, the announcement will appear on nba.com and its press site.

When will NBA All-Star 2028 take place?

No dates have been published. What is stable is the general slot: All-Star Weekend is held in mid-to-late February, during a break in the regular season. The 2027 edition in Phoenix runs from Friday, February 19 to Sunday, February 21, 2027, with the All-Star Game itself on Sunday.

Following that template, All-Star 2028 should fall on a weekend in February 2028, but the exact dates depend on the 2027-28 schedule, which is expected to be released in mid-August 2027. It is possible the league announces the host and dates together well before then; it is also possible the dates are only confirmed with the schedule. Either way, the season’s trade deadline usually lands shortly before the break, so the weekend comes at a moment when rosters have just settled.

There is one more calendar wrinkle worth noting for 2028: the Los Angeles Olympic Games are scheduled for that summer. That has no announced effect on the All-Star schedule, and we mention it only because many fans are planning both trips in the same year.

Using Phoenix's All-Star 2027 as a dry run

If you want a feel for the logistics before 2028, the Phoenix edition is the closest benchmark. It was announced nearly three years ahead, it runs Friday to Sunday, and it is staged at the home arena of the host team, Footprint Center. Watching how sales, packages and hotel demand unfold around Phoenix in early 2027 will give you a realistic preview of what to expect a year later, wherever the 2028 event lands.

What an NBA All-Star Weekend looks like

If you have never been, it helps to know that All-Star is not one game but a three-day festival spread across a host city. The exact program changes from year to year, and the 2028 lineup has not been announced, but the broad shape has been stable:

• Friday: a night of lighter events, typically including games featuring rookies and second-year players and a celebrity game.
• Saturday: the skills night, traditionally with the three-point contest and the slam dunk contest as headline acts.
• Sunday: the All-Star Game, featuring the players voted in by fans, media and players and selected by coaches.
• All weekend: a fan festival, sponsor activations and community events around the city.

The format of the main game itself has been reworked several times in recent seasons, so we do not assume any particular structure for 2028. Check the official announcement for the format once the league confirms it.

How All-Star tickets usually work

All-Star tickets are among the hardest in the sport to get at face value. The arenas used are standard NBA buildings, while demand comes from the whole country and from sponsors, partners and league guests. Some general points, based on how past editions have been sold rather than on any 2028 announcement:

1. Limited public allocation. A significant share of seats goes to the league, teams, partners and the host organization. The public portion is smaller than for a regular game.
2. Packages are common. Many fans get in through multi-event packages that bundle Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Single-event seats, especially Sunday, are the scarcest.
3. Host team priority. Season-ticket holders of the host franchise often receive early access. If you already hold seats with a team on the candidate list, keep an eye on your account.
4. Resale is expensive. All-Star resale prices are usually well above face value. If you go that route, buy as early as practical and check the seat and delivery terms.

No All-Star 2028 prices, packages or sales dates have been published as of October 9, 2026.

Planning your All-Star trip before the host is known

You cannot book a hotel without a city, but you can prepare. Hold some flexibility in February 2028. If you live in or near one of the reported candidate cities, create an account with that team now so you are ready for any host-team presale. And remember that hotels in All-Star host cities fill up quickly once the announcement is made, so be ready to reserve a refundable room the day the city is named.

Get the NBA All-Star 2028 host-city announcement by email

Our free All-Star 2028 alert sends you one email when the host city and dates are announced, and another when tickets or packages go on sale. After you sign up, we also show partner ticketing sites for NBA games; resale prices there can exceed face value. You can find every other date of the season in our NBA 2027-28 schedule guide.