The NBA has announced a change to February’s All-Star format, pitting the best from the US against the world’s top international talent.
In the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, two teams of U.S. players and one
team of international players (known as the World team) will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games. The three teams will each have a minimum of eight players.
The selection of players has changed a little with position no longer a factor. As in previous years, the five players chosen as starters from each conference will be selected by fans (50% of the vote), current NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%).
The seven players selected as reserves from each conference will be decided by NBA head coaches.
If NBA All-Star voting does not result in the selection of 16 U.S. players and eight international players, then NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select additional All-Stars to join either group to reach that minimum. In that case, at least one team would have more than eight players.
