The LuLu Exchange Kabayan Basketball League will begin on August 1 at Dubai Sports World, Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together Filipino athletes, teams, and fans for a month-long tournament billed as the UAE’s biggest basketball competition dedicated to the Filipino community.
Staged in association with the Dubai Sports Council, the league frames itself as more than a sporting event, positioning the competition as a celebration of Filipino pride, unity, and community engagement across the Emirates. Registration is open through the organizers.
The champions will take home AED 12,000, with AED 7,000 going to the runners-up. Third place carries a prize of AED 4,000, while the fourth-place finisher receives AED 2,000.
The tournament runs a heavy schedule anchored by a preliminary round of 100 pool-play matches. Round 1 knockout play accounts for 76 matches, split across 52 games on August 1 and 24 games 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), and semifinals (2 matches) before a third-place playoff and the final.
Entry is limited to Filipino male expatriates residing in the UAE who hold a valid Emirates ID. Games consist of two 10-minute halves with a five-minute halftime break, and a three-minute overtime period settles any draw at the end of regulation.
Playing rules carry several tournament-specific conditions. Each team is allowed two 30-second timeouts, usable only in the second half, and up to four team fouls per half, after which the opposing side receives two free throws on subsequent fouls. A player is ejected after four personal fouls, or after two technical fouls, or one technical foul combined with one unsportsmanlike foul, while referees may immediately eject anyone involved in an altercation or misconduct.
Teams arriving more than 10 minutes late for a scheduled match will forfeit to their opponents by default. All other aspects of play will follow official FIBA rules and regulations.
