The Africa Basketball Festival is gearing up for a new chapter as organisers prepare to take the event beyond Ghana for the first time since its inception.
This development was confirmed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rites Sports Services, Yaw Sakyi Afari, ahead of the fifth anniversary edition of the festival, which comes off at the University of Ghana Basketball Court from Wednesday, December 10 to Sunday, December 14, 2025.
The festival—an annual blend of basketball, fashion, music, and entertainment—has become a major platform for discovering and promoting young talent across Ghana and beyond.
This year’s edition will feature teams from Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, China, and Lebanon, alongside local participants including the University of Ghana basketball team.
Speaking exclusively to Univers Sports, Yaw Sakyi revealed that the seventh edition, scheduled for 2027, will be hosted outside Ghana as part of efforts to expand the festival’s reach and strengthen its continental footprint.
He explained that countries interested in taking up hosting rights will go through a formal bidding process beginning in 2026.
“Our overriding goal is promoting cultural exchange and uniting people through sports, music, and fashion,” he said.
“And we even announced that come 2027, which will be the seventh edition, the Africa Basketball Festival final will not be held in Ghana.”
He added that the host nation for 2027 will be determined after the bidding process and revealed at next year’s festival.
“So in 2026, there will be an amended process where countries interested in hosting the festival will apply,” he explained.
“And then the best or selected country would host it. That country will be announced at the 2026 event, and a year after that, all participating nations will fly to this new destination to celebrate this Basketball, Fashion, and Music Festival,” he added.
The move signals a significant step in the festival’s evolution, as organisers aim to deepen its impact, expand its audience, and showcase African creativity across multiple sectors on a larger international stage.
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Story by Erica Odeenyin Odoom | univers.ug.edu.gh
