UP to battle Asia’s collegiate giants in AUBL debut
University of the Philippines will ramp up its preparation for the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament by joining a top-tier tournament in China.
The Fighting Maroons are one of 12 participating teams in the 2026 Asian University Basketball League, slated for August 2 to 9 at Binjiang Gymnasium in Hangzhou.
The AUBL will begin right after the 2026 Filoil Preseason Cup which is expected to end on July 25.
Fresh off a runner-up finish in the UAAP, UP will make its much-anticipated AUBL debut as the Philippines’ representatives in the regional tournament that gathers some of Asia’s top university basketball programs.
UP has also previously played in the now-defunct World University Basketball Series prior to this.
Awaiting UP in Hangzhou is a stacked cast of collegiate powerhouses from across the continent.
Japan will be represented by Hakuoh University, a three-time JUBF All-Japan University champion, alongside traditional powerhouse Waseda University.
Korea also sends two decorated programs in Korea University and Yonsei University, longtime rivals that have consistently dominated the Korean collegiate scene over the past decade.
Chinese Taipei’s National Chengchi University enters the tournament as the reigning AUBL champion after ruling the inaugural edition last year, while National University of Mongolia brings one of Mongolia’s emerging basketball programs into the fold.
Host nation China will field a formidable quartet bannered by Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and perennial collegiate giant Tsinghua University, which finished runner-up in the inaugural tournament. Joining them is The Chinese University of Hong Kong, fresh off ending a 33-year title drought in Hong Kong university basketball.
Meanwhile, University of Sydney will serve as Australia’s first-ever representative in the competition, adding another international dimension to the tournament.
The tournament will also mark the beginning of a new chapter for Asian collegiate basketball, with AUBL set to transition into a home-and-away format later this year.
AUBL Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations Greg Stolt emphasized the significance of the competition, especially with the inclusion of first-time participants from the Philippines and Australia.
“For fans, this is what university basketball is all about — a close connection to the game and players that you cannot find anywhere else, student-athletes testing themselves against top competition from across the region, and the pride, tradition, and atmosphere that make collegiate sports so special,” said Stolt.
Last year, National Chengchi University captured the inaugural AUBL crown after edging Tsinghua University, 82-79, in the championship game.
The Fighting Maroons have pledged to play in the AUBL’s summer tournament, and are mulling over joining its trailblazing home-and-away tournament starting November, as well.