BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Months of anticipation is coming to an end as the FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) opens its fourth season on Monday, October 13, at the Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall in Dubai.
The 2025-26 competitions, which could also be a celebration of sorts now that the tilt has been in existence for half a decade now, will kick off with Gulf League action featuring no less than its defending champions.
Shabab Al Ahli will help raise the curtains of what should be an exciting Opening Week ahead when they host Ittihad Club in an early rematch of the 2024-25 Sub-Zone League Final in the first game of the season.
Game time of the Group A tiff is set at 19:00 local time, with the UAE League Basketball (ULB) powerhouse anticipating a retaliation from their Saudi Basketball League counterparts after their title bout ended via sweep.
But a quick check at the records would show that Shabab Al Ahli actually have a 3-0 advantage in their head-to-head battle, with their first win happening during the GBA Champions Cup back in 2017 in Bahrain.
So, it's going to be interesting to see if the home team would keep their mastery of the Tigers, or if the latter can finally flip the script this time and write a chapter to this budding basketball rivalry in their favor.
Also part of Week 1 games would be two WASL newcomers as Sharjah SC are scheduled to take on Al Ula Club in Group B play on Tuesday, October 14, also at the Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall at 19:00 as well.
Sharjah are coming into the tourney as the defending ULB champions and they're definitely out to make a good first impression in their league debut, with the all-around DeMarco Dickerson expected to lead the way.
But they're under no illusion that it's going to be a walk in the park, as they will be battling a team loaded with stars - with the celebrated troika of Wael Arakji, Thon Maker, and Jonathan Gibson all in the fray.
Arakji and Maker, as we all know, are WASL champions themselves with Al Riyadi. And they are, without a doubt, hoping to create new success together with a Saudi side that's been aggressive in improving recently.
The 2025-26 WASL-Gulf League Group Phase will run from October 13 to January 20. To see the complete schedule, click here.
FIBA