A fifth season marked by 12 home games at the Verdun Auditorium and a historic new playoff format.
The Montreal Alliance has unveiled its official schedule for the 2026 regular season of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CBLE), marking the club’s fifth season in the circuit. The Alliance will once again play a regular season of 24 matches, including 12 at home at the legendary Verdun Auditorium, continuing the balanced format established at league level.
“Reaching a fifth season represents an important milestone for our organization,” said Joel Anthony, general manager and co-owner of the Montreal Alliance. “Year after year, we have continued our development, and 2026 promises to be the start of a new phase. We are confident in the direction of the team and excited about what lies ahead for the Alliance. »
The Montreal Alliance will kick off its home schedule on Friday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m., when it welcomes the Scarborough Shooting Stars to the Verdun Auditorium for a rematch of the 2025 playoffs. During the season, the Alliance will host eight of the nine other teams in the LECB at least once, giving fans a comprehensive look at the best talent in the league.
“The 2026 calendar paves the way for a season focused on renewal. » indicated Nicolas Lesage, head of operations of the Montreal Alliance. “Fans can expect new elements on match days as well as an enhanced experience at the Verdun Auditorium. From the opening match, we look forward to building on what our fans love. »
The Alliance’s home matches will offer a balanced offering, alternating busy evenings and matches accessible to families, with six matches on Friday evenings and two matches in the afternoon on Sunday at the Verdun Auditorium.
Rivalries will remain at the heart of the story in 2026, with several high-profile clashes in the Eastern Conference, notably against Ottawa and Scarborough, which will once again be highlighted during key moments of the CEBL calendar, including Canada Day and a Caribana celebration.
Historic new playoff format debuts in 2026
The 2026 CEBL playoffs will begin on Thursday, August 6 with knockout division semifinals, where the top seed will face the fourth, while the second will face the third in each division.
The winning teams will advance to the division finals on Saturday, August 8, with the top-ranked team hosting each knockout round.
The CEBL Finals will be played as a best-of-three series from August 12-16, marking the first multi-game final series in league history. • Game 1 – August 12 • Game 2 – August 15 • Game 3 (if necessary) – August 16
The lower-ranked team will host Game 1, while the higher-ranked team will host Games 2 and 3 (if necessary), replacing the old model of a single-elimination championship weekend played on a single host team.
Complete home game schedule • May 15 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Scarborough Shooting Stars • May 19 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club • May 26 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Niagara River Lions • May 31 – 4 p.m. vs. Ottawa BlackJacks • June 5 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Winnipeg Sea Bears • June 7 – 4 p.m. p.m. vs. Edmonton Stingers• June 10 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Brampton Honey Badgers• June 26 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Niagara River Lions• July 3 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Scarborough Shooting Stars• July 10 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Brampton Honey Badgers• July 24 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Ottawa BlackJacks• July 28 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Vancouver Bandits
Calendar highlights
• 12 home games at the Verdun Auditorium, • Presence during the Canada Day doubleheader in Scarborough (July 1), • Four clashes against the division rival, the Ottawa BlackJacks, • Two family games on Sunday afternoon, • Six prime-time games on Friday evening.
All matches will be broadcast live on CEBL+, the league’s official streaming platform. The television broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.
Season passes and Flex packages for the 2026 season are available now at alliancemontreal.ca/tickets. The complete calendar is available on alliancemontreal.ca, and details regarding the thematic evenings will be announced later.