NBA China Games 2027 in Macao and the 2027-28 Global Games: A Status Check

Why the NBA China Games Macao question is timely

As this page goes up on October 9, 2026, the NBA is in Macao for the second edition of its revived China Games. The Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets play two preseason games at The Venetian Arena, on Friday, October 9 and Sunday, October 11, 2026. Naturally, fans are already asking whether the league will return in October 2027, at the start of the 2027-28 season.

The honest answer is that nothing has been announced. This page lays out the evidence on both sides, then looks at the rest of the NBA’s international preseason map, from Abu Dhabi to Canada, to show what is confirmed for 2027-28 and what is not.

Macao so far: two editions, one multiyear deal

The NBA’s return to the China region came through Macao, the gaming and resort hub on the southern Chinese coast. On December 6, 2024, the league announced that the Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns would play two preseason games at The Venetian Arena on October 10 and 12, 2025. It presented those games as the first edition of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and Sands China, the operator of the resort that houses the arena.

The second edition was confirmed on January 5, 2026: Mavericks vs. Rockets, two preseason games in October 2026 at the same venue. The format has stayed consistent, with one pair of teams playing twice over a weekend, both games in the preseason window before opening night.

Edition	Teams	Dates	Announced
2025	Brooklyn Nets vs Phoenix Suns	Oct 10 and 12, 2025	Dec 6, 2024
2026	Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets	Oct 9 and 11, 2026	Jan 5, 2026
2027	TBC	TBC	Not yet

Will the NBA China Games return to Macao in October 2027?

Here is how the evidence breaks down.

Reasons to expect a third Macao edition

• The Sands China agreement is described as multiyear, and two editions have now taken place.
• The format, two preseason games at The Venetian Arena, has been repeated without change.

Reasons to wait before booking anything in Macao

• The agreement’s duration has never been published. "Multiyear" could mean two seasons or more.
• No 2027 teams, dates or ticket plans have been announced as of October 9, 2026.

Looking at past timing, the 2025 games were announced ten months ahead and the 2026 games about nine months ahead. If a 2027 edition happens on a similar schedule, an announcement in the winter of 2026-27 would fit the pattern. That is an observation, not a forecast from the league. We list Macao 2027 as "to be confirmed" until the NBA says otherwise.

Abu Dhabi: Global Games on pause in 2026

Abu Dhabi had become a fixture of the NBA preseason, hosting games every year from 2022 to 2025. The 2025 edition featured the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers on October 2 and 4, 2025, at Etihad Arena.

In 2026 there are no NBA games in the Middle East. According to a Field Level Media report from July 2026, that is because of the regional war, and the league reportedly intends to return under its existing agreements. Both points are reported, not officially confirmed by the NBA. As of October 9, 2026, nothing has been announced for Abu Dhabi in 2027-28, so anyone planning around a return should wait for an official announcement.

The rest of the NBA Global Games map

The NBA’s international program, branded Global Games, changes every year. For 2026-27, the league’s key-dates page lists the NBA Canada Games: the Toronto Raptors vs. the LA Clippers in Vancouver on October 10, 2026, a preseason game. A Raptors vs. Heat game in Quebec City on October 3, 2026 has been reported by secondary sources only.

For 2027-28, the picture is thin. As of October 9, 2026, the only international games officially placed in that season are the two regular-season games in Europe in 2028:

• Berlin, Uber Arena, teams and date TBC (see our Berlin 2028 guide).
• Paris, Accor Arena, teams and date TBC (see our Paris 2028 guide).

No 2027-28 game has been officially announced for Abu Dhabi, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Africa, Macao or Mexico. Our Mexico City page covers the promoter agreement that makes a game there plausible but not certain.

How tickets for preseason Global Games work

International preseason games are a different ticketing animal from regular-season home games. They are produced as standalone events, often in partnership with a local venue or resort operator, so the official sale usually runs through the venue’s own channel rather than through the visiting teams.

• Wait for the official announcement. It names the teams, dates and, in most cases, where tickets will be sold.
• Use the official seller. For Macao, that means the channel named by the NBA and the venue. Anything else is resale.
• Check the event type. A preseason game does not count in the standings, and coaches may limit starters’ minutes. Buy for the experience, not for a guaranteed star performance.
• Resale costs more. Seats on resale markets can be priced above face value; check the seat location and transfer method before paying.

No prices have been published for any 2027-28 Global Game. Ignore figures quoted before an official on-sale.

Planning a trip to Macao for a future NBA China Games edition

If a 2027 edition is confirmed, a few practical points apply. Macao is a Special Administrative Region of China with its own entry rules, so check the requirements for your passport. The Venetian Arena is inside a large resort complex in Cotai, which means accommodation and the venue can be very close together. Many international visitors arrive via Hong Kong, which is linked to Macao by a bridge and ferry services. And since the games fall in early October, you will be traveling at the tail end of the warm season.

Get the 2027-28 Global Games announcements by email

The NBA tends to reveal its international games one by one across the year. Our free alert collects them for you: one email when a Macao, Abu Dhabi, Canada or other 2027-28 Global Game is announced, and another when tickets go on sale. After signing up, you will also see partner ticketing sites for NBA games; resale listings there can be above face value.

For every other date in the season, head to our NBA 2027-28 schedule guide.