The LuLu Exchange Kabayan Basketball League will begin on August 1 at Dubai Sports World, Dubai World Trade Centre, with 116 matches scheduled across a month-long run billed as the UAE’s biggest basketball competition dedicated to the Filipino community.
The champions will take home AED 12,000, while the runners-up receive AED 7,000. Third place carries a prize of AED 4,000, and the fourth-place finisher gets AED 2,000, bringing the total prize pool to AED 25,000.
Staged in association with the Dubai Sports Council, the tournament draws athletes and fans from across the Emirates. Organizers position it as a celebration of Filipino pride, unity, and the country’s enduring attachment to the sport rather than a purely competitive event.
Play opens with 52 knockout matches on August 1 and another 24 on August 2, followed by a 24-match second-round pool stage. The field then narrows through a Round of 16 (8 matches), quarterfinals (4 matches), semifinals (2 matches), a third-place playoff, and the final.
The preliminary rounds will be held at Dubai Sports World, Dubai World Trade Centre. The knockout stages from the Round of 16 through the final shift to Shabab Al Ahli Indoor Stadium, beside Lulu Hypermarket Metro Station, on August 9.
Entry is limited to Filipino male expatriates residing in the UAE who hold a valid Emirates ID. Games outside the opening round consist of two 10-minute halves with a five-minute halftime break, and a three-minute overtime period settles any tie at the end of regulation.
Each team is entitled to two 30-second timeouts, usable only in the second half, and four team fouls per half, with the opposing side awarded two free throws from the fifth foul onward. A player is disqualified after four personal fouls, while a player or coach is ejected upon receiving two technical fouls, or one technical foul and one unsportsmanlike foul. Referees may immediately eject anyone involved in an altercation.
Teams arriving more than 10 minutes after the scheduled match time will forfeit to their opponents. All other aspects of play follow official FIBA rules and regulations. Registration is open through an online form linked on the LuLu Exchange website.
Spectators will need a visitor pass to attend, collected from any LuLu Exchange outlet. The pass covers all match days, is non-transferable, and enters holders into draws for prizes including cash, alongside fast-track entry, VIP fan zone access, and refreshment discounts.
