Knicks and 76ers to Play Preseason Games at Etihad Arena, Yas Island
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) have announced that tickets for the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ are now on sale to the general public at etihadarena.ae and ticketmaster.ae.
The games will feature the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers playing two preseason matchups on Thursday, 2 October and Saturday, 4 October at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
Premium Ticket Packages and Experiences
In addition to standard tickets, special packages offering premium access, VIP experiences, and hospitality are available for purchase at nbaexperiences.com/nba-abu-dhabi-games-2025.
NBA Stars Heading to Abu Dhabi
The New York Knicks currently feature:
- Two-time NBA All-Star Jalen Brunson
- Five-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns
- 2022 NBA All-Defensive First Team member Mikal Bridges
Bridges and Brunson previously played in Abu Dhabi as members of the USA Basketball (USAB) Men’s National Team before the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Towns participated in the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Philadelphia 76ers roster includes:
- 2023 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player and seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid
- Nine-time NBA All-Star Paul George
- 2024 NBA All-Star Tyrese Maxey
Embiid also played in Abu Dhabi as a member of the USAB Men’s National Team prior to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Global Broadcast and Partners
The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ will air live in the UAE, across the Middle East, and globally, reaching fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital, and social media platforms.
The event will be supported by a roster of marketing partners, including:
- Presenting Partner: ADQ
- Official Partners: Aldar, CFI, Emirates, Gatorade, Experience Abu Dhabi, Nike, and Tissot
Multi-Year Collaboration Between NBA and Abu Dhabi
The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 form part of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi. The partnership includes:
- Preseason NBA Global Games
- Youth development programming, reaching nearly 20,000 participants since 2022
- Interactive fan events with NBA and WNBA players
- NBA 2K League exhibition events
- NBA Cares social impact programming focused on health, wellness, and sustainability
DCT Abu Dhabi, under its destination brand Experience Abu Dhabi, also serves as the Official Tourism Destination Partner of the NBA in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and China.
NBA in the UAE
NBA games have been broadcast in the UAE since the 1987–88 season.
Fans can follow the NBA on Instagram and X (@NBAArabic) for the latest news and content in Arabic.
NBA fans in the UAE and across the Middle East can shop official merchandise at NBAStoreME.com and at the NBA Store at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi – offering the widest selection of official NBA gear ever available in the region.
For more information, please visit:
About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism industries.
DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.
For more information about DCT Abu Dhabi and the destination, please visit dct.gov.ae and visitabudhabi.ae. For Abu Dhabi Calendar, please visit inabudhabi.ae.
About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season featured a record-tying 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.5 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. NBA Cares, the NBA’s global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organisations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.
Further Reading:
- The EStars BTEC Level 2 in Esports Is Transforming How Secondary Schools Prepare Students for the Careers of Tomorrow
- Joakim Noah, NBA Legend, Inspires Repton Abu Dhabi’s Junior NBA Players With a Powerful Message of Purpose and Perseverance
- What is Esports? How Competitive Gaming Became a Billion-Dollar Industry