FUBA postpones 2025 NBL finals to accommodate Nam Blazers’ BAL preparations

The Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) has postponed the 2025 National Basketball League (NBL) Finals following a request from the Namuwongo Blazers.

The Blazers, who are preparing for their first-ever continental appearance, asked FUBA to adjust the schedule to allow adequate preparation for the Road to BAL (Basketball Africa League) zonal qualifiers, set to take place from October 15th to 19th.

“This adjustment has been made to allow Nam Blazers to prepare for the Road to the BAL,” FUBA said in a statement.

The highly anticipated finals, which will pit the Blazers against ten-time champions City Oilers, will now tip off on Sunday, October 26th at the Lugogo Indoor Arena. The best-of-seven series will determine the 2025 NBL champion, with the first team to win four games claiming the title.

Originally, the finals were scheduled to begin on October 7th, with a potential Game 7 set for October 22nd. However, this timeline clashed with the BAL qualifiers, prompting the rescheduling.

During a consultative meeting last month, FUBA also unveiled a revised league calendar. The 2026 NBL season will run from January to July, giving the eventual champions ample time to prepare for the Road to BAL 2027. FUBA confirmed that this calendar will remain in place unless amended in future meetings.

The Namuwongo Blazers have come close to continental qualification in recent years but have yet to make their BAL debut. In 2022, they pushed City Oilers to a dramatic Game 7 in the finals but fell short. In 2023, they withdrew from the playoffs in protest after FUBA awarded the BAL slot to the Oilers. In 2024, they were eliminated in the semifinals by the KIU Titans.

Now, with their first continental campaign on the horizon, the Blazers are determined to make history—and FUBA’s calendar shift may be the break they needed.