With a scintillating second season just weeks away from tipping off, Super League Basketball (SLB) have announced that one of the British basketball calendar’s showpiece events – the SLB Cup Final – will be heading to Manchester for the first time ever.
The iconic AO Arena in Manchester is no stranger to the game, being the home of Manchester giants from 1995 to the 2000/01 season. During their time here, the Arena broke records with the Giants season opener to the London Leopards, where it attracted the biggest crowd to ever watch a basketball match in Britain.
Now, 30 years later in 2025, the AO Arena will host both the Men’s and Women’s SLB Cup Finals in a blockbuster double-header on Sunday, 22 March 2026, with tickets available via pre-sale from August 20th 2025.
The Cup Final is a marquee moment on the British basketball calendar, signifying the second of three major finals in the SLB season – following January’s Trophy Finals in Birmingham and preceding May’s Play-off Finals in London. With the 2025/26 season shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested in recent memory, this year’s finals promise unrivalled intensity, passion, and drama.
Taking a look back over the iconic basketball moments at the AO Arena in domestic and international basketball over the years – it’s been the host to superstars such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant for Team USA fixtures in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics.
Bringing the SLB Cup Finals to Manchester adds another chapter to that storied history and is a milestone moment for the league, being the first time a major British basketball final has taken place in the city.
This announcement and the run-up to the Cup Finals mark a fitting opportunity to celebrate a thriving hoops culture in one of the country’s most prominent basketball cultures from the grassroots game all the way to the top level.
For decades the city has showcased some of the very best of what British basketball has to offer, and that tradition is continued in Super League Basketball with the likes of Manchester Basketball preparing to compete with distinction on the domestic and European stages in the forthcoming campaign.
Reflecting on bringing the event to Manchester for the forthcoming season, SLB Head of Events, Clare Holmes commented:
“The Cup Final is one of British basketball’s showcase occasions and we look forward to seeing this year’s showdown played out at the AO Arena in Manchester for the first time ever.
“Manchester is one of the country’s biggest hotspots for basketball and we’re excited to be bringing one of the biggest occasions in our calendar to the city and the basketball community there in March 2026 and we look forward to seeing a full house at the AO for this event.”
Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure, Manchester City Council added:
“Manchester stands proudly at the forefront of British basketball, and we’re thrilled to welcome Super League Basketball to the AO Arena next year — a world-class venue in a city where elite competition, grassroots development, and community passion come together.
“From vibrant outdoor courts in Hulme to elite fixtures at the National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester is a city that understands and supports the game at every level.
“Hosting the SLB Cup Final, the showpiece of the premier professional league in the UK, is a powerful endorsement of our growing reputation, proving that we not only understand basketball — but champion it at every level.”
AO Arena Head of Marketing, Ellice Eadie said:
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Super League Basketball to AO Arena for the very first time! It’s no secret that our iconic venue has deep roots in the game, so the event is set to step into the shoes of Giants!
“The Super League will bring top-tier British basketball to the heart of Manchester, a righteous return to the North! Whether you’re getting behind the men’s or the women’s team, it’s a real full-circle moment for Manchester’s love of Basketball. We can’t wait to see who lifts that Cup!”
In 2025, the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks lifted the Men’s Cup after a nail-biting clash with the Surrey 89ers, while the Oaklands Wolves stunned the Steel City by defeating the B. Braun Sheffield Hatters in a thrilling Women’s Final.
Newcastle Eagles remain the most successful franchise in the history of British basketball’s Cup with 6 wins from 9 appearances. The club last lifted the Cup in the behind closed doors 2021 season.
Formats and fixtures for the 2025/26 season’s SLB Championship, Cup, Trophy and Play-Offs competitions are set to be announced later this month.
