Canberra to host revamped Ignite Cup finals series

The Adelaide 36ers will have a longer route to Ignite Cup glory this season with the NBL confirming a new four-team Ignite Cup Finals series to be played in Canberra.

The Hungry Jack’s National Basketball League (NBL) has confirmed Canberra will host the Ignite Cup Finals and Andrew Gaze MVP Awards, thanks to a new partnership with the ACT Government.

AIS Arena will host a new twist on the concept, with the tournament now set to conclude with a four-team Ignite Cup Finals series across two massive nights of basketball, with semi-finals on Friday, February 19 and a blockbuster decider on Sunday, February 21.

Alongside the ACT’s $31.1m commitment to progress planning and detailed design for Canberra’s new National Convention and Entertainment Centre, the 2027 Ignite Cup Finals also provides momentum towards a possible Canberra-based NBL team.

The Ignite Cup features 20 Wednesday night games with results counting towards the regular season ladder. 

The Adelaide 36ers won through to the final of the inaugural Ignite Cup last season, going down 111-107 to the New Zealand Breakers on the Gold Coast, setting the tone for what has quickly become one of the standout events on the NBL calendar. 

This season, four teams will advance to the Ignite Cup Finals series, where they’ll compete for a share in $550,000 in prize money - the largest prize pool in League history.

The Andrew Gaze MVP awards will be presented from the Great Hall in Parliament House, bringing the entire League together in Australia’s gathering place, boosting the local tourism economy, and promoting Canberra’s unique and exclusive event locations. It marks the first time the Awards have been presented outside Melbourne in more than a decade.

Canberra has shown a growing appetite for elite basketball, with the 2025 CODE Sports NBL Blitz selling out every day, the busiest week in the venue’s history since its 2023 reopening.

The overwhelming fan response has helped pave the way for Canberra to host the next evolution of the Ignite Cup.

The Ignite Cup Finals add another critical major basketball event acquisition for Canberra, helping to deliver an economic boost to the Territory’s tourism economy.

“The Ignite Cup has quickly become one of the standout innovations in the NBL, bringing knockout intensity into the Hungry Jack’s NBL regular season and creating must-watch basketball every Wednesday night,” NBL Group CEO, David Stevenson said.

“Introducing a Final Four series and bringing it to Canberra is a fantastic evolution of the competition. Fans will experience a festival of basketball, with the best teams battling it out over one incredible weekend for the biggest prize pool in NBL history.

“Canberra has shown time and again that it embraces elite basketball. The incredible success of last year’s sold-out CODE Sports NBL Blitz proved there’s a huge appetite for the game, and we’re excited to build on that momentum by bringing the Ignite Cup Finals and the Andrew Gaze MVP Awards to the nation’s capital.

“We want to sincerely thank Chief Minister Andrew Barr and the ACT Government for their continued support and belief in the NBL, as we create marquee events together that showcase world-class basketball and deliver significant benefits for the ACT.”

Fans are encouraged to pre-register for early-bird pricing now at nbl.com.au/ignitecup, with the full Finals program to be released during the season.

The Adelaide 36ers will tip off the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season on September 19 at John Cain Arena against Melbourne United.