The Philippines joins the Eastern Conference circuit as Asian university basketball prepares for a season spanning November 2026 to August 2027.

The Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) is taking college basketball across borders, announcing a 2026–27 season featuring 18 university programs from 11 markets and a home-and-away format that the league describes as a first for Asian collegiate basketball.

Unveiled on October 26, the season will feature 54 games across two conferences, with 12 teams eventually advancing to Championship Week in August 2027.

For Filipino basketball fans, the Philippines will be part of the Eastern Conference’s home-and-away circuit alongside China, Japan, Korea and Mongolia, bringing international university competition onto campuses across the region.

“This is a landmark moment for university basketball in Asia,” AUBL CEO Jay Li said. “For the first time, the continent’s best college teams will be tested home and away, and that changes everything.”

Li said the expanded competition aims to connect basketball cultures, reach more fans and give student-athletes opportunities to travel, compete and learn.

Yonsei Faces Chinese Powerhouses to Open the Season

The season begins with a two-game Tip-Off event at Sangnoksu Kim Yeon-koung Gymnasium in Korea.

Yonsei University will host defending AUBL champion Shanghai Jiao Tong University on November 22, followed by a matchup against Tsinghua University on November 24.

Those games launch an Eastern Conference schedule that will run through March 2027.

How the Eastern Conference Works

The Eastern Conference’s 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three. Each university will face its two group opponents twice—once at home and once away—for four regular-season games per team.

Nine Eastern Conference teams will qualify for Championship Week.

The top eight teams by record will advance, while defending champion Shanghai Jiao Tong receives an automatic berth. If Shanghai Jiao Tong finishes among the top eight, the ninth-place team will claim the remaining qualification spot.

The format gives participating schools the opportunity to defend their home courts while testing themselves in unfamiliar arenas against international opposition.

Southern Conference Heads to Vietnam

The six-team Southern Conference will follow a different format, competing in a single-site tournament in Hanoi, Vietnam, from April 7 to 11, 2027.

The field will feature one university each from Hong Kong, Macau, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Teams will be split into two groups of three, with the top two from each group progressing to a Final Four. The tournament’s top three finishers will qualify for Championship Week.

Southern Conference groupings and the full schedule will be announced later.

Championship Week Set for August

The nine Eastern Conference qualifiers and three Southern Conference qualifiers will meet from August 16 to 22, 2027.

Championship Week will feature group play followed by a single-elimination knockout stage to determine the AUBL champion.

For the league, the expanded season is a step toward building international rivalries and giving university programs more opportunities to compete beyond their domestic leagues.

For fans, it means a chance to see how their schools measure up against opposition from across the region—with home-court pride adding another dimension to the competition.

The opening tip is set for November 22.

Source: Asian University Basketball League press release