HoopsFest basketball celebration returns to Perth for second consecutive year

Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, basketball celebration ‘HoopsFest’, will be returning to Perth from 15th to 18th January 2026 offering a fusion of sport, culture, music and entertainment.

HoopsFest Perth 2026 is delivered in partnership with the Western Australian Government through Tourism WA, the NBL, and WNBL.

Perth will exclusively host all matches of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) competitions during round 17 of the regular NBL and round 14 of the WNBL seasons.

Perth's RAC Arena - along with other elite basketball venues across the city - will host all the on-court action, including team training and matches, plus a new tournament competition, involving more than 30 community teams competing for $50,000 in prize money.

HoopsFest is expected to attract thousands of out-of-state visitors to Western Australia, providing a significant boost to WA's tourism and hospitality industry, with last year's inaugural event generating more than $6.1 million in economic impact for the State.

The festival will include the HoopsFest Cup, which is a new event for 2026 and will bring together teams from around Australia for a national tournament, giving open-aged players the chance to join in the HoopsFest action.

Basketball fans can also look forward to the return of supporting events such as Sneakerland, Australia's largest sneaker culture festival, plus the return of the HoopsFest Fan Festival, which celebrates all things basketball and its culture, including music, entertainment, fashion and more.

NBL Chief Executive David Stevenson enthused “we are delighted to be heading back to Perth for HoopsFest, after what was an incredible experience last year.

“The shift to the January school holiday period is a great result for basketball fans all around the country, and for those wanting to experience the best of basketball and all it has to offer, then HoopsFest is not to be missed.

“This year, we're particularly excited to host the first ever joint round of NBL and WNBL regular season matches, making it an even more historic event for our sport. We want to thank the Western Australian Government, Tourism WA and VenuesWest for their continued support and partnership – it’s because of them that we’re able to bring this unique and growing celebration of basketball to life. We also want to thank all our clubs for their participation not only through their involvement in the games, but also the community events and fan initiatives."

WNBL Chief Executive Jennie Sager added "HoopsFest is a vibrant celebration of everything we love about basketball - the perfect chance for everyone to experience the game, whether you're a longtime fan or attending for the first time.

“Women's basketball is thriving like never before, both here in Australia and globally, and the WNBL offers a rare opportunity to see Olympians, WNBA champions, and Australia's top talent all on one court.”

The NBL & WNBL games featuring as part of HoopsFest Perth are:

Thursday 15th Jan: Perth Lynx vs Bendigo Spirit (WNBL);  
Sydney Kings vs Brisbane Bullets (NBL)

Friday 16th Jan: Geelong United vs Sydney Flames (WNBL);  
Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks (NBL)

Saturday 17th Jan: Southside Flyers vs Adelaide Lightning (WNBL)
Cairns Taipans vs New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
Melbourne United vs Tasmania JackJumpers (NBL)

Sunday 18th Jan: Adelaide 36ers vs South East Melbourne Phoenix (NBL)
Townsville Fire vs Canberra Capitals (WNBL)  

Fans are encouraged to register their interest now at hoopsfest.com.au and be the first to know all the details and reserve their tickets.