African champions RSSB Tigers have been drawn into Group A of the 2026 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, which will take place in Beijing, China, from September 22 to 27. The Rwandan club will represent Africa at the prestigious intercontinental tournament after winning the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) title in Kigali in late May. While RSSB Tigers enter the tournament as BAL champions, their Group A opponents also boast continental success. Rytas Vilnius are the Basketball Champions League Europe champions, while Shanghai Sharks are the reigning Chinese Basketball Association champions. Group B features Boca Juniors of Argentina, the winners of the Basketball Champions League Americas; home side Beijing Royal Fighters of China; and NBA G League United, a U.S. select team that finished as runners-up at the 2024 and 2025 Intercontinental Cup editions. RSSB Tigers will open their campaign on September 22 against Rytas Vilnius, while Boca Juniors will face hosts Beijing Royal Fighters in Group B. On September 23, NBA G League United will play their first game of the tournament against Boca Juniors, while Rytas Vilnius take on Shanghai Sharks. RSSB Tigers will face Shanghai Sharks on September 24, while Beijing Royal Fighters will close out the group stage against NBA G League United. September 25 will be a rest day before the competition moves into the knockout phase, with the two semi-finals and the fifth-place game scheduled for September 26. After three successful years in Singapore, the FIBA Intercontinental Cup is entering a new chapter in its 60-year history, with the competition moving to Beijing for the first time in September 2026. The format remains unchanged, with six teams divided into two groups of three. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the winners meeting in the Championship Game on September 27. The tournament will conclude on September 27 with the Championship Game and third-place game. Since the competition adopted the current six-team format in September 2023, European clubs have enjoyed the most success, with Spain's Unicaja winning the title twice. Brazilian side Sesi Franca are the only Americas representatives to win the tournament under the current format, lifting the trophy in 2023. NBA G League United are the only team in the 2026 field with previous Intercontinental Cup experience, having reached the final twice. Rytas Vilnius, RSSB Tigers, Shanghai Sharks, Beijing Royal Fighters and Boca Juniors will all make their Intercontinental Cup debuts in 2026.
