The 2026-27 NBA schedule is expected to be released in mid-August 2026, likely between August 14 and August 21. Historically, the NBA announces the full regular-season schedule shortly after the conclusion of the Summer League and the primary free agency window. Once the announcement is made, a free, printable master schedule in PDF format will be available here for every team.
NBA Schedule Release History: What to Expect
The NBA typically follows a consistent rhythm for its schedule rollout. Unlike the NFL, which releases its entire schedule in one televised event in May, the NBA waits until the dust has settled on major offseason moves to ensure national TV matchups feature the league’s most relevant stars. The past three seasons have seen the schedule come out on Thursday. So, what do you think? Thursday, August 13th, 2026 this year?
| Year | Date | Day of Week |
| 2025-2026 | August 14, 2025 | Thursday |
| 2024-2025 | August 15, 2024 | Thursday |
| 2023-2024 | August 17, 2023 | Thursday |
| 2022-2023 | August 17, 2022 | Wednesday |
| 2021-2022 | August 20, 2021 | Friday |
| 2020-2021 | December 20, 2020 | Sunday |
| 2019-2020 | August 12, 2019 | Monday |
| 2018-2019 | August 10, 2018 | Friday |
| 2017-2018 | August 14, 2017 | Monday |
| 2016-2017 | August 11, 2016 | Thursday |
| 2015-2016 | August 12, 2015 | Wednesday |
| 2014-2015 | August 13, 2014 | Wednesday |
Fans should expect a “teaser” of high-profile matchups—such as Opening Night and Christmas Day—roughly 24 to 48 hours before the full 1,230-game slate is released.
Key Dates for the 2026-27 NBA Season
While the exact matchups are unknown, the general framework of the 2026-27 season follows the standard league calendar:
- NBA Draft: June 2026
- Free Agency Opens: July 1, 2026
- NBA Summer League: July 2026
- Schedule Release Window: August 14–21, 2026
- Training Camp Opens: Late September 2026
- 2026-27 Opening Night: Mid-to-Late October 2026
New Broadcast Deals: NBA on NBC, Amazon, and ESPN
The 2026-27 season marks the official launch of the NBA’s landmark new media rights deal. For the first time, fans will navigate a broadcast landscape featuring NBC/Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, and ESPN/ABC.
- NBC/Peacock: Expect a massive “Sunday Night Basketball” push and a return of the iconic “Roundball Rock” theme.
- Amazon Prime Video: Prime will become the new home for “Thursday Night Basketball” following the conclusion of the NFL’s Thursday slate.
- ESPN/ABC: Will maintain its role as the home for the NBA Finals and marquee weekend matchups.
This new deal means the schedule release will be more scrutinized than ever, as fans look to see which streaming services they will need to catch their favorite teams.
NBA Schedule Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why does the NBA wait until August to release the schedule? The league waits for the primary free agency window and the NBA Draft to conclude. This allows them to schedule national TV games around teams that have acquired major superstars or high-profile rookies (like the Indiana Fever effect in the WNBA).
How many games are in the 2026-27 NBA schedule? Every team will play a standard 82-game regular season, including matchups that count toward the NBA Cup (In-Season Tournament) standings.
Where can I download a printable NBA schedule? Once the league makes the official announcement in August, we will provide a high-resolution, printable PDF for all 30 teams, formatted for both desktop and mobile viewing. Prior to that, we’ll publish updates for each team that you can bookmark to get the PDF of the schedules once they are out.
NBA Season Resources
- [Printable] Full 2026-27 NBA Master Schedule (PDF): Coming in August 2026.
- [Interactive] NBA Playoff Bracket Maker: Build your path to the 2027 Finals.
- [Printable] 2026 NBA Playoff Bracket: Live Now
