The uniqueness of each team heading into the 2026 BAL Playoffs

Eight teams, one title at stake: that’s what the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) playoffs are all about, but despite their common goal, each team has achieved unique milestones in the history of the BAL.

This article highlights the facts that distinguish each team from the others.

1. Petro de Luanda (4-1)

Petro de Luanda are the only team to have played in every season of the BAL since its inception in 2021. They hold the record for the most games played in the league, with 45. 

They are also the only team in the competition's history to have reached the semi-finals in every edition (2021–2025), finishing first, second (twice), third and fourth respectively.

2. Al Ahly EGY (4-1)

Before Alahli Tripoli won the 2025 BAL trophy, Al Ahly SC became the first team to win the league in their debut season. 

This is Al Ahly's third appearance in the BAL, making them the most regular Egyptian team in the competition, ahead of Zamalek (two appearances) and Al Ittihad Alexandria (one appearance).

3. RSSB Tigers (4-1)

RSSB are the fourth Rwandan team, after Patriots, REG and APR, to represent their country in the league. This makes Rwanda the only country with more than three teams to have experienced BAL basketball. 

The Tigers are heading to the playoffs as the highest-scoring team, having amassed 483 points in five games.

In addition to scoring over 100 points in three of their five games, the RSSB Tigers scored a combined total of 74 three-pointers in five games. That’s 20 more than Dar City, who came second with 54.  

4. Club Africain (4-1)

Club Africain ended US Monastir’s dominance of the Tunisian league when they won the 2025 domestic title. As a result, they became the second team from their country to compete in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). 

Prior to the 2026 BAL season, the five-time Tunisian champions had not appeared in a continental competition since 2014, when they won bronze as hosts of the FIBA Africa Champions Cup. 

During the 2026 Sahara Conference, Club Africain made BAL history by becoming the first team to overcome a seven-point deficit in 15 second to win a game. They defeated Al Ahly 69–68 in Rabat, Morocco.

Club Africain are the only team to have won all their games by a margin of less than 10 points. Their biggest win was by nine points (86–77) against the Maktown Flyers.

5. Al Ahly LY (3-2)

Al Ahly Libya became the first Libyan team to play in the BAL in 2024.

The 2024 runners-up, who opened their season with two losses in a row, are returning to the BAL Playoffs on a three-game winning streak from their Kalahari Conference campaign.

Al Ahly's 118–97 victory against Dar City in the 2026 Kalahari Conference went down in history as the highest-scoring game (215 points), surpassing the 213 points recorded in APR's 123–90 victory against Al Ittihad Alexandria last year.

Al Ahly Ly are a high-scoring team and scored over 100 points in each of their last three conference games in Pretoria in March.

Al Ahly Libya are the only team heading to Kigali to have replaced their head coach. Egyptian Ahmed Soliman was replaced by Greek Fotios Katsikaris.

6. FUS Rabat (3-2) 

Along with Petro de Luanda, FUS Rabat are one of only two teams to have reached the BAL Playoffs in the last three seasons. 

The team is led by Said El Bouzidi, who is one of two coaches (along with Petro’s Sergio Valdeolmillos) heading to Kigali who have won an African title. El Bouzidi led AS Sale to victory in the 2017 FIBA Africa Champions Cup.

7. ASC Ville de Dakar (3-2)

ASC Ville de Dakar secured their first-ever BAL Playoffs spot on a three-game winning streak from their Sahara Conference campaign, overcoming a slow start to the 2026 BAL season in which they lost their first two games.

Following their disappointing debut in the BAL last season, when they failed to reach the Playoffs, the outlook is more positive for the Senegalese champions this time around.

8. Dar City (2-3)

The Tanzanian champions are one of only two teams, alongside Al Ahly Ly, to have reached the Playoffs after starting their BAL journey in the FIBA-run Road to BAL qualifiers. Dar City are the first Tanzanian team ever to feature in the BAL. The team is coached by Mamadou Gueye, who was named the 2023 BAL Coach of the Year.

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