Ever since the league announced the creation of the Emirates NBA Cup in 2023, the semifinals and finals have been held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s where the Los Angeles Lakers took home the inaugural championship in an entertaining stretch.
But that will not be the case for the fourth edition of the tournament. The NBA announced that the championship game of the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup will be held at the legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Hinkle Fieldhouse adds another chapter to its legacy 👏
Now, it's the home of the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup Championship 🏆 pic.twitter.com/a3H3vv2qb7
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) June 30, 2026
In discussing the NBA Cup in the past, the league has talked about a vision to bring the championship game to different venues and stages that honor the history of the sport of basketball and Hinkle Fieldhouse is certainly one of those arenas.
The venue hosted the 1954 Indiana high school state championship game that inspired the classic 1986 basketball movie Hoosiers and was also where Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson led Crispus Attucks High School to a state championship in 1955, becoming the first all-black team to win a state championship in America.
“Hinkle Fieldhouse offers a special setting to capture the excitement and drama of the Emirates NBA Cup Championship,” NBA Head of Global Events Kelly Flatow said in a statement. “Playing the Championship in an iconic basketball environment like this will further establish it as a signature moment on the NBA calendar.”
The Emirates NBA Cup has been a hit since it was introduced with the atmosphere and intensity of the games leaning closer to playoff games than standard regular season contests. After the Lakers won the first one by defeating the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks took home the second crown in 2024 by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder. Last season it was the New York Knicks defeating the San Antonio Spurs for the crown, which wound up being a preview for the NBA Finals.
What NBA Cup change means
Aside from taking the event out of Las Vegas, the biggest change with the NBA Cup championship game taking place at Hinkle Fieldhouse is that semifinals games will be played at traditional home courts.
The NBA Cup final itself will take place on Dec. 11 and stream exclusively on Prime Video. Tickets will go on sale to the public this fall, at NBAEvents.com. Special ticket packages offering premium access, VIP experiences and hospitality are available for purchase now.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
