NEW YORK – The NBA today announced that the Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Championship will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the iconic home of Butler University. The winner-take-all game is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 11 during the 2026-27 NBA season and will stream exclusively on Prime Video.
The selection of Hinkle Fieldhouse reflects the NBA’s multiyear vision to bring the Championship to distinctive stages that honor the sport’s history while connecting with audiences around the world.
“Hinkle Fieldhouse offers a special setting to capture the excitement and drama of the Emirates NBA Cup Championship,” said NBA Head of Global Events, Kelly Flatow. “Playing the Championship in an iconic basketball environment like this will further establish it as a signature moment on the NBA calendar.”
For nearly a century, the 9,100-seat Hinkle Fieldhouse has stood among the most recognizable venues in basketball. It also has a longstanding connection to the NBA, serving as home to NBA teams during the league’s early years. Most recently, the WNBA’s Indiana Fever played select home games at the arena during the 2022 season.
Hinkle Fieldhouse hosted the 1954 Indiana high school state championship game that inspired the 1986 movie Hoosiers, and climactic scenes from the film were shot there. In 1955, future NBA legend Oscar Robertson led Crispus Attucks High School to the Indiana state championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse, making the team the nation’s first all-Black basketball state champion.
The Emirates NBA Cup Championship will feature expanded basketball programming across the Butler campus, creating a dynamic atmosphere in the lead-up to tip-off.
Fans can register their interest in tickets for the game, which 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 at nbaexperiences.com/emirates-nba-cup-2026.
As the Emirates NBA Cup continues to grow, the NBA, title partner Emirates and Prime Video share a commitment to elevating the Championship experience and bringing fans together around the sport’s most meaningful moments.
The Emirates NBA Cup debuted in 2023 and will crown its fourth champion in December. The Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural title, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024 and the New York Knicks in 2025.
