The Basketball Africa League’s second season will begin March 5, 2022, in Dakar, Senegal, the BAL have confirmed after sources told ESPN’s The Undefeated.
The 2022 season will include 12 club teams from 12 African countries that will also play games in Cairo and Kigali, Rwanda. The BAL season will also expand to a total of 38 games, with 15 games in Dakar from March 5-15, 15 games in Cairo from April 9-19 and an eight-game playoffs and BAL Finals in Kigali from May 21-28.
BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall announced details of the second season on Thursday in Egypt. FIBA Africa BAL president Ambrose Tashobya and Egypt’s Zamalek, the inaugural BAL champions, were in attendance.
Fall said of the second edition: “After a successful and historic launch last spring, we are thrilled to be able to grow the BAL’s footprint in our second season.
“Through this expanded competition format, we will bring more games to more countries across the continent, allowing new and returning fans to experience the excitement of this world-class league up close and in person.”
BAL Board President Anibal Manave added: “This season will no doubt be even more exciting with the expansion of the number of games and also additional host cities – in particular here in Cairo where the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2022 will also take place in February, featuring for the first time the inaugural BAL Champions Zamalek SC.”
Zamalek defeated Tunisia’s US Monastir 76-63 to win the inaugural BAL championship on May 30 in Kigali. The BAL championship game was broadcast to fans in 215 countries and territories in 15 languages. Rapper J. Cole also played for Rwanda’s Patriots BBC last season.
The 12 BAL teams next season will be league champions from 12 African countries qualifying from tournaments conducted by FIBA Regional Office Africa across the continent from October to December 2021.
The BAL is also expected to have a free-agent camp in Washington D.C., in January at the Washington Wizards‘ practice facility.