Government & NBA announce £10million investment into basketball in England

The UK Government and the NBA have announced a landmark £10 million investment to grow basketball in England, marking the first time the Government has committed dedicated funding for the sport under its Community Sport Facilities Programme.

The deal, unveiled during the State Visit of the US President and First Lady, will see £5 million allocated by the Government in 2026/27, with the NBA matching that investment with £5 million through to 2028.

As part of the Government’s £400 million Community Sport Facilities Programme, £5 million will be committed to basketball facilities in 2026/27. The funded sites will include a multi-sport offering “so they are accessible and appealing to get as many people active as possible.”

This represents a new approach for the Government, which has previously focused the programme on football-led facilities.

The NBA will match the investment with £5 million into expanding its grassroots programmes, which currently reach more than 50,000 young people across the UK each year.

“Basketball is booming in Britain – and this investment will help take it to the next level, opening up the game to thousands more people right across the country,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

“This is about more than sport – it’s about community, inclusion and inspiring the next generation to find their spark. I’m proud that the UK is teaming up with one of the world’s most iconic sporting brands to deliver real change for our people and our communities.”

The announcement coincides with the NBA returning to play regular-season games in the UK for the first time since 2019. London will host a game in January 2026, with Manchester staging another in 2027 — the league’s first regular-season game in the city.

Combined, the games could generate more than £100 million in economic impact. The Government and NBA have also committed to exploring the possibility of additional future games in the UK.

“The UK Government shares our commitment to using basketball to drive socioeconomic development and teach the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle,” NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum commented.

“We thank them for their investment in facilities that will provide safe spaces for people of all backgrounds and abilities to learn and play the game, and we look forward to working more closely together in the years to come, including around the potential launch of a new pan-European league that would bring more world-class basketball to fans in the UK.”

Basketball is now the second-most popular team sport among young people in England, with 1.15 million playing weekly. NBA fandom among UK adults has also grown by 24% in the past three years, with the league ranking as the number one US sports brand among Gen Z.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy added: “Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the UK and provides a powerful way to bring communities together and get active. With the NBA’s support, we’ll grow participation and break down barriers so everyone can access this incredible sport, keeping communities healthy and inspiring the next generation.”

However, the emphasis on multi-use facilities may present challenges for the basketball community.

Research funded by the Hoopsfix Foundation and Basketball England in 2023, based on 1,703 responses from players across the country, found that 93.4% of participants expressed a strong preference for dedicated basketball facilities rather than multi-use areas. 87.4% said they would play more often if there were dedicated basketball spaces.

While today’s announcement is historic in recognising basketball within Government funding, the Hoopsfix Foundation’s findings underline the challenge: investment in multi-use spaces risks diluting impact unless courts are designed and delivered in a way that reflects what basketball communities actually need.

The collaboration between the government and the NBA, which follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in July, will also explore “potential future investment opportunities around NBA Europe.”