Venezuelan National Basketball League postpones start to late September

The Liga de Baloncesto Nacional (LBN) announced that the 2026 season will now begin at the end of September, after the original September 4 kickoff was delayed due to the double earthquake on 24 June. Board member Rafael Escalante said the postponement allows venues and logistics to be fully prepared.

Because international flight disruptions made it impossible to bring foreign players, the league will be contested exclusively by Venezuelan athletes for this season, with plans to re‑introduce imports in 2027. Each team must also field at least one U19 player who will play a minimum of five minutes per game. In addition, a parallel 3x3 tournament will be held two hours before each regular‑season match, using the same clubs.

These changes aim to sustain the competition despite the natural‑disaster aftermath and to promote local talent development.