Numbers and records to know ahead of the 2026 BAL season

As the Basketball Africa League (BAL) enters its sixth season, we delve into the archives to recall some of the notable numbers and records set in the previous seasons.

From outstanding individual performances and collective efforts to jaw-dropping displays and figures showing the league's growing popularity, we've got you covered.

213 - Before APR beat Al Ittihad Alexandria 123-90 in Pretoria in June 2025, which set a BAL record for the most combined points in a game (213), a month earlier, Al Ahli Tripoli had beaten APR 106-102 (208). 

193 - This is the number of BAL games that have been played since the league’s inception in 2021.

123 - By beating Al Ittihad Alexandria 123–90 in the third-place play-off of the 2025 season, APR set a new BAL record for the highest score in a single game. The previous record was set by Al Ahli Tripoli, who defeated Nairobi City Thunder 115–87 during the 2025 Nile Conference in Kigali.

48 - The record number of games played in a single BAL season is 48. This record was set in the 2025 season.

48 - During the 2023 season, two teams were limited to just 48 points on two occasions, which is the fewest points scored by a team. First, REG defeated Kwara Falcons 64–48 in Dakar, and then Petro de Luanda overpowered Cape Town Tigers 87–48 in a Nile Conference match in Cairo.

47 - Back in 2021, US Monastir recorded the largest win margin (47) by beating Madagascar’s GNBC 113–66. US Monastir also recorded the second largest win margin, dismantling Patriots Basketball Club by 41 points (87–46) the same year.

40 - Petro de Luanda is one of two teams – alongside US Monastir - to have played in all five seasons and has played 40 games – the most by any team in the league's history so far. On the eve of the league’s sixth season, Petro is the only team that will have played in all six BAL seasons.

41 – Will Perry and Terrell Stoglin hold the record for the most points scored in a game (41).

35 - Since the league's launch in 2021, 35 different clubs have participated in the BAL. 

23 – Twenty-two of Africa’s 54 countries have had a representative in the league. This figure is set to increase in 2026, with Tanzania being the newest country to join the BAL.

21 - Al Ahly Tripoli have the largest margin of victory in a BAL final, having outclassed Petro de Luanda 88–67, while US Monastir have the narrowest margin of victory, having defeated Petro de Luanda 83–72.

6 – Only one team in the history of the BAL has finished a campaign undefeated. This occurred during the 2021 season, when the eventual champions, Zamalek, finished with a perfect 6–0 record. 

5 - From North to South, the BAL has played conference and final games in five African cities: Cairo (Egypt), Dakar (Senegal), Kigali (Rwanda), Pretoria (South Africa) and Rabat (Morocco).

5 - Five BAL seasons have been played so far, with the league crowning five different champions: Zamalek (Egypt, 2021), US Monastir (Tunisia, 2022), Al Ahly (Egypt, 2023), Petro de Luanda (Angola, 2024) and Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya, 2025).

2 - Only two players – Solo Diabaté and Michael Fakuade – and one coach, Agustin Julbe, have won the BAL twice. 

1 - Four games have been decided by a single point so far, including when the City Oilers upset the hosts, Al Ahly 82–81 during the 2024 Nile Conference in Cairo. The previous year, Al Ahly saw Petro de Luanda escape with a 91–90 victory in the Nile Conference. 

In 2024, Petro de Luanda narrowly defeated AS Douanes 66–65 in the quarterfinals in Kigali. 

Last season, BAL debutants ASC Ville de Dakar shocked the then defending champions, Petro de Luanda, with a 65–64 victory in a Sahara Conference clash in Dakar.