by sportswriter Cao Yibo
BEIJING, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The 2026-27 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) season tips off on Friday, with changes to the competition format, a reshuffled title race and expanded opportunities for young players set to shape the campaign.
The league's 32nd season will see promotion and relegation return after more than two decades, the regular season expand to 46 rounds and foreign-player registration limits tightened. Beyond the regular season, the CBA Club Cup and the Chinese Basketball Development League (CBDL) will also provide additional opportunities for competition and player development.
REFORMS RAISE STAKES FOR CLUBS
The 2026-27 CBA regular season will feature 460 games across 46 rounds, up from 420 last season. The playoffs will return to a 3-5-5-7 format, replacing last season's 3-3-5-7 system. The round of 12 will remain a best-of-three series, while the quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in a best-of-five format, followed by a best-of-seven final.
The most notable structural change this season is the return of promotion and relegation, which was abandoned after the 2003-04 season.
The bottom two CBA teams after the regular season will face the top two sides from the National Basketball League (NBL) in home-and-away playoffs in April 2027. Winners must still pass salary-cap compliance checks and a subsequent admission assessment to register for the following CBA season.
Overseas-player regulations have also been tightened. Each club may register up to three overseas players at a time, down from four last season, with a season-long registration limit of six players, compared with eight previously. The salary cap will also shift from a fixed seasonal limit to a tiered system linked to a team's progress through the season.
The changes are expected to encourage more selective recruitment and give domestic players greater responsibility, but whether they lead to more competitive games and better development opportunities for Chinese players will be one of the season's central questions.
OFFSEASON RESHUFFLE SETS UP COMPETITIVE TITLE RACE
A series of offseason moves has reshaped the title race, with the Shanghai Sharks seeking to defend their crown and the Beijing Ducks, Shanxi Loongs, Zhejiang Lions and Guangdong Southern Tigers among the clubs looking to challenge.
Shanghai enters the season with much of its domestic core intact, including Zhang Zhenlin, Li Hongquan and Liu Zheng, while retaining last season's Finals MVP Brandon Goodwin. Former NBA All-Star D'Angelo Russell and NBA champion JaVale McGee have joined the squad, adding considerable experience and new offensive options.
Head coach Lu Wei, however, has stressed that last season's title cannot guarantee future success. "Since the final buzzer, the championship has already turned the page," he said, adding that the team must start over and approach each game with full commitment. How quickly Russell adapts to the CBA and fits into the team could be decisive in Shanghai's bid to defend the crown.
The Ducks are also looking to take the next step after reaching the semifinals last season. The club has brought in Barry Brown Jr., JaKarr Sampson and Lindy Waters III. Former Chinese national team coach Li Nan, who replaced Chinese basketball Hall of Famer Xu Limin, has called for a more forceful approach, particularly in defense and rebounding. "Results in competitive sport are not achieved by talk; they are fought for," he said at the team's season launch.
The Lions, meanwhile, will rely on continuity among key players Hu Jinqiu, Sun Minghui and Zhu Junlong, but must compensate for the departures of several domestic rotation players, including Zhao Jiaren and Lin Bingsheng. The club retained American scorer Rayjon Tucker, added Cameroon international Landry Nnoko and brought veteran Dezmine Wells back into the fold.
Shanxi, Zhejiang's opponent in the season opener, has made substantial changes after finishing 10th in the regular season and reaching the quarterfinals. The team retained import Hamidou Diallo and added Lindell Wigginton and Petr Cornelie. Domestic recruits Zhao Jiaren, Wang Junjie and Xie Zhijie are expected to strengthen the team's wing and backcourt rotations. A coaching change, with former assistant Vytautas Buzas taking charge, adds another variable as Shanxi seeks to build on its playoff run.
Eleven-time champion Guangdong has reinforced its overseas-player group with the additions of veteran guard Kyle Fogg and center Udoka Azubuike, alongside Croatian forward Luka Bozic. The availability of shooting guard Edmond Sumner, who has been dealing with a hand injury, could affect the team's early-season options.
The Beijing Royal Fighters, who narrowly missed the playoffs last season, have also undergone a significant rebuild. The Royal Fighters have appointed a new coaching staff led by head coach Charalampos Markopoulos, brought back forward Wang Shaojie and added Zhao Jiayi. Guard Grant Riller remains with the team and is joined by Harry Giles and Javonte Cooke. The club has set its sights on returning to the playoffs and challenging for a top-eight finish, although the new lineup will need time to build chemistry.
CLUB CUP AND YOUTH LEAGUE BROADEN STAGE
The CBA's competition structure will extend beyond the regular season. The third CBA Club Cup will return during the league's window periods, with 24 teams taking part: all 20 CBA clubs and four NBL teams. Group-stage games will be held in Wuhan, Yantai, Yinchuan and Qionghai, with the finals in Nanning. The expanded field and regional venues are intended to bring professional basketball to more cities and broaden the league's reach.
The CBDL will also expand, with all 20 CBA clubs fielding teams made up of players aged 18 to 24 from club rosters and youth squads. The league will feature 292 games across preliminary and final stages, providing young players with more opportunities to gain competitive experience.
The 2027 CBA All-Star Weekend will take place in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, from March 5 to 7, marking the first time the event has been held in northwest China.
At the season launch, Chinese Basketball Association president Guo Zhenming said the national team's results still fell short of expectations.
"The league is the national team's most fundamental talent base and competitive platform. The two are closely linked and share the same destiny," he said. ■
