PBA eyes Dubai as possible venue for All-Star Weekend

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) brought its storied rivalry to an international stage as the San Miguel Beermen defeated Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 91-83, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai early Monday morning, October 27 (Philippine Standard Time).

San Miguel’s victory was powered by a dominant performance from nine-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) June Mar Fajardo, who delivered 17 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks to lead the Beermen to their second win of the Philippine Cup campaign. The result improved San Miguel’s record to 2–2, lifting them to seventh place in the standings, while Ginebra slid to 1–3, now ninth overall.

The Dubai clash marked the PBA’s 12th official game in the United Arab Emirates and its first since 2019. The high turnout at the Coca-Cola Arena impressed league officials and sparked discussions about returning to the Middle East for future events — potentially even the All-Star Weekend.

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San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra will clash in front of the Dubai crowd in this PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup elimination round special. | 🎥 Kenneth Earnshaw#PBA50 #PBA50LID pic.twitter.com/enGST5aKBF

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“We had talks with them about holding future games in Dubai and we might come back and play the All-Star Game here,” said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial during a media briefing. He added that the league is considering a return as early as 2027 or in Season 51.

Since 2005, the PBA All-Star festivities have been held outside Metro Manila, with Bacolod City hosting the 2024 edition. The event was canceled the following season due to security concerns, but the 2026 All-Star Weekend is confirmed to take place in March in Candon, Ilocos Sur.

Far Eastern’s Hamdan Al Ansari also expressed enthusiasm for more PBA games in Dubai. “We had internal discussions with the commissioner to first see that it’s attainable. But we would be more than happy to see something like this happening in Dubai more frequently, especially being part of the PBA’s 50th season,” he said.

The successful Dubai showcase once again highlighted the PBA’s growing international reach and the league’s commitment to bringing Philippine basketball closer to its global fanbase.

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