MPBL teams represent cities and provinces across the Philippines, which is what sets the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League apart from the company-owned teams of the PBA. The 2026 season, the league’s eighth, has 26 teams split into a North and a South Division, and this guide explains who they are and how the season works.
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The playoffs are now in the division finals, with the National Finals set for December. For results and previews through the postseason, follow our MPBL news and game coverage.
What is the MPBL?
The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League began play in 2018 and is now in its fifth season as a professional league. Each team carries the name of the city or province it represents, so a game between Quezon and Biñan is also a matchup between two communities.
This season, the league is officially known as the SportsPlus MPBL, after its title sponsor. It also has new leadership: in January 2026, longtime commissioner Kenneth Duremdes moved into the role of league president, and former head of operations Emmerson Oreta became the league’s third commissioner.
MPBL teams in 2026
The 2026 season started with 28 teams, down from 30 in 2025. Two teams were later removed from the South Division, leaving 26 to complete the season: 14 in the North and 12 in the South.
| North Division (14) | South Division (12) |
|---|---|
| Abra Solid North Weavers | Basilan Steel |
| Bataan Risers | Batangas City Athletics |
| Bulacan Kuyas | Biñan Tatak Gel |
| Caloocan Batang Kankaloo | Cebu Greats |
| Ilagan Isabela Cowboys | GenSan Warriors |
| Manila Batang Quiapo | Imus Bandera |
| Marikina Shoemasters | Mindoro Tamaraws |
| Meycauayan Marilao Gems | Negros Hacienderos |
| Parañaque Patriots | Quezon Huskers |
| Pasay Voyagers | Rizal Golden Coolers |
| Pasig City | Sarangani Marlins |
| Quezon City Black Bulls | Zamboanga Sikat |
| San Juan Knights | |
| Valenzuela City Darkhorse |
Changes before and during the season
The Meycauayan Marilao Gems joined as an expansion team, replacing the Muntinlupa Cagers. Iloilo and Negros returned to the league. Besides Muntinlupa, four teams left: three former champions, Davao Occidental, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga, plus Pangasinan. Several returning teams also changed names, such as the Batangas City Athletics and the Quezon City Black Bulls.
Two South teams did not finish the season. The league revoked Iloilo’s franchise in June after the team stopped meeting its obligations, and in July it suspended Bacolod for the rest of the season over allegations of game manipulation. All of their games were removed from the standings.
How the MPBL regular season works
The regular season ran from April 10 to September 22, 2026. It follows a round-robin format, with each team playing every other team once, from both divisions, though teams are ranked only within their own division.
Teams have home arenas in their cities and provinces, but many games are played at neutral venues around Metro Manila and the regions. Standings are decided by wins, with head-to-head results used to break ties.
Records set this season
The regular season produced two league records. Abra beat an opponent by 84 points on July 20, the largest winning margin in MPBL history, and Biñan’s Nic Cabañero scored 53 points on September 10, breaking the single-game scoring record of 50.
The 2026 All-Star Game
The All-Star Game was moved from August 29 to September 19 because of bad weather in the Greater Manila Area. It ended in an 89-89 tie between the North and South All-Stars, coached by Yong Garcia of Abra and Pocholo Villanueva of Batangas City.
How the MPBL play-in tournament works
The play-in decides the last two playoff spots in each division. The top six teams in each division qualify for the playoffs directly, while the teams finishing seventh to 10th play for seeds seven and eight.
| Game | Matchup | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | 7th vs 8th | Winner takes the No. 7 seed |
| Game 2 | 9th vs 10th | Loser is eliminated |
| Game 3 | Loser of Game 1 vs winner of Game 2 | Winner takes the No. 8 seed |
The 2026 season is only the second to use a play-in tournament. This year’s play-in ran from September 25 to 30.
How do the MPBL playoffs work?
Sixteen teams, eight from each division, play a four-round bracket with no reseeding. The North and South each crown a division champion, and the two division champions meet in the National Finals.
| Round | Format | Home court |
|---|---|---|
| Division quarterfinals | Best of three | Alternates between higher seeds on shared game days |
| Division semifinals | Best of three | Alternates between higher seeds on shared game days |
| Division finals | Best of five | 2-2-1 format |
| National Finals | Best of seven | 2-2-1-1-1 format |
Key takeaway
The 2026 National Finals will be the first best-of-seven championship series in MPBL history. Until 2025, the finals were a best-of-five.
The 2026 division finals
In the North, the Abra Solid North Weavers face the San Juan Knights, with the series starting on November 7 in Bangued, Abra. Abra clinched the best regular-season record in the league, while San Juan finished second in the North. In the South, the Quezon Huskers and Biñan Tatak Gel meet in a rematch of last year’s South Finals, which Quezon won 3-2.
Biñan is led by Nic Cabañero, the 2025 UAAP scoring champion and a front-runner in this season’s MVP race, while Quezon relies on a deep rotation led by its veteran guards. Abra are the defending national champions after sweeping Quezon 3-0 in the 2025 finals. They also won the 2026 Preseason Invitational, beating Quezon 67-47 in the final.
Recent MPBL champions
The title has changed hands often in recent seasons. Pampanga won back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024, including the first sweep in National Finals history in 2023, before Abra took the 2025 title.
| Season | Champion | Finals result |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Pampanga Giant Lanterns | Won 3-0 |
| 2024 | Pampanga Giant Lanterns | Won 3-0 |
| 2025 | Abra Weavers | Won 3-0 over Quezon |
Pampanga left the league before the 2026 season, so the 2026 champion will come from a new group of contenders led by Abra, San Juan, Quezon, and Biñan.
MPBL vs PBA: the key differences
The two leagues are often compared, but they are built differently. The PBA plays three conferences a season, each with its own champion, as explained in our PBA season format guide. The MPBL plays one long season that ends with a single national champion.
| MPBL | PBA | |
|---|---|---|
| Teams represent | Cities and provinces | Companies |
| Season structure | One season, one champion | Three conferences, three champions |
| Championship | National Finals between North and South champions | A finals series in each conference |
How to watch the MPBL
Solar Sports is the league’s TV partner for a second straight season, and its renewed deal doubled its coverage to 12 games a week across four game days, including every 2026 playoff game. Games are also available on TAP Sports, and they stream on Blast TV, Facebook, and YouTube.
Game times vary by venue and round, so check the schedule before each game day. For how MPBL games fit into basketball betting, including markets and how totals can differ from other leagues, see our basketball betting guide. Betting is for adults aged 21 and over.
