Regular season games in Europe, possibly creating a dedicated league in cooperation with FIBA – the NBA is investing heavily in the future. Meanwhile, the US venues remain trendsetters and serve as benchmarks for arenas worldwide. stadiaworld examines the current proposals as well as the venue landscape in the United States.
Intuit Dome, Inglewood. Image: LA Clippers
If there is one arena worldwide that venue operators currently look up to, it is undoubtedly Inglewood’s Intuit Dome. Designed with full focus on the fan experience and the atmosphere during LA Clippers Game, the 2 billion US dollar project delivers from technology to engagement to concessions and really features no bad seat in the house. Looking at the other
NBA venues, many franchises, too, have modernisation or construction projects ahead of them. With 19 of the current 30 league venues having been inaugurated between 1994 and 2005, many operators now look at (starting the process of) renovating. Washington, Utah and Oklahoma City are most-advanced with Philadelphia and San Antonio following.
An overview.
Image: stadiaworld
Significant investment continues in Europe as well. Recently inaugurated arenas such as the
SAP Garden in Munich, Co-op Live in Manchester, and the
Roig Arena in Valencia are (almost) on par with modern NBA arenas. To further strengthen Europe’s venue landscape – and, of course, to expand the NBA’s sporting and economic influence – the North American league is currently considering launching an “
NBA Europe.” In November 2025, it already outlined 12 potential teams/locations, with further details expected as early as January 2026.
stadiaworld analyzed the arena situation in the intended markets and the venues, in which games could be played.
Co-op Live, Manchester. Image: Stadionwelt
The NBA will definitely play in Berlin, London, Manchester, and Paris – already in 2026, 2027, and 2028. Over those three years, the league will stage six
regular-season games on European soil, stopping at the Uber Arena (twice), The O2, Co-op Live, and the Accor Arena (twice). What do the respective venues hope to gain from this, and do they already see it as a dress rehearsal for potential NBA Europe membership? stadiaworld spoke to the decision-makers and received responses from all four venues. See here for the input from
Gael Caselli, Senior Vice President of Sport at AEG International,
Katie Musham, Event & Bookings Development, Oak View Group International,
Ole Hertel, Senior Vice President & Managing Director at Uber Arena, and
Arnaud Millard, Director of Programming & Ticketing at Paris Entertainment Company. (stadiaworld, 12.01.2026)
