2025-26 NBL schedule revealed

Featuring Cairns' traditional New Year’s Eve game and the integration of the Ignite Cup, the Taipans schedule 2025-26 NBL season has finally been unveiled.

The Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans’ 2025-26 NBL season is set to begin on Saturday 20 September, visiting the South East Melbourne Phoenix before hosting the Brisbane Bullets for their first home game at the Cairns Convention Centre on Friday 26 September. 

For the sixth consecutive year, the opening game has been brough forward, breaking last season’s record for the earliest start to a campaign since the 2008/09 schedule. The 2024-25 campaign will consist of: seven Friday night games (increased from two in 2024-25), four Saturday games, two Thursday games, one Sunday game, and two Wednesday Ignite Cup fixtures. This brings the total home game schedule to 16 games, with the competition expanding to 33 games for each team throughout the regular season. 

After starting their campaign at John Cain Arena when they visit the Phoenix, the Taipans host a Queensland derby for their home opener against the Brisbane Bullets. Due to daylight savings, Cairns’ first two home games will have a later 7:30pm tip-off, before reverting back to the usual time of 6:30pm from Friday 10 October against the Wildcats.

The Taipans will visit the Kings in Sydney before they play five of their next six games on their home court, hosting Adelaide and Perth twice, as well as Melbourne. The only road game in that period will be on Sunday 12 October, an important date in the calendar. The Club will mark 800 games in the NBL when they face Melbourne United in Round 4, reaching the milestone just 300m away from where they played their first game in the league at Melbourne Park (now Rod Laver Arena) against the Melbourne Tigers.

The Club’s first Ignite Cup home game will be in Round 6 against the Wildcats – the fixture will not be included as part of season memberships and instead sold separately – while the second Ignite Cup fixture will be on NYE against the Phoenix and will be included. See the 2025-26 membership games HERE. The Taipans will play their road Ignite fixtures on 24 December (vs Adelaide) and 7 January (vs Melbourne). Information to purchase tickets to the two additional games will be provided soon. 

As part of the wider 2025-26 NBL season release, the league has revealed Round 1 will launch as Hungry Jack’s Rookie Round, a celebration of grassroots basketball and participation, aimed at inspiring the next generation and deepening connections with kids, families, and local communities. Additional themed rounds will include: 

• 8^th Oct - 28^th Jan – NBL Ignite Cup
• 22^nd Oct – 3^rd Nov – Indigenous Round
• 3^rd Dec – 14^th Dec – Special Round
• 15^th Jan – 18^th Jan – HoopsFest
• 21^st Jan – 1^st Feb – Pride Round

Cairns will close out their home calendar against Melbourne on Thursday 12 February, with their last game of the regular season in New Zealand on Thursday 19 February. Sync all fixtures to your calendar HERE. 

Taipans memberships are available now, with an end-of-financial-year sale commencing 27 – 30 June, 2025. Stay tuned for more! 

DOWNLOAD TAIPANS HOME/AWAY SCHEDULE PRINTABLE PDF 

REGULAR SEASON – KEY DATES 

Season starts: Saturday 20 September (@ Phoenix)
First home game: Friday 26 September (vs Bullets)
Ignite games: Wednesday 22 October (vs Wildcats), 24 December (@ 36ers), 31 December (vs Phoenix) and 7 January (@ United)
Non-membership games: Wednesday 22 October (vs Wildcats) and Friday 19 December (vs Breakers) 
Flagship fixture: Wednesday 31 December (vs Phoenix)
Queensland derbies: Friday 26 September (vs Bullets), Thursday 30 October (@ Bullets), Saturday 10 January (vs Bullets) and Sunday 8 February (@ Bullets)
Hoopsfest fixture: Saturday 17 January (vs Breakers in Perth)
Last home game: Thursday 12 February (vs United)
Last game: Thursday 19 February (@ Breakers)