The 2026 Northern Basketball Tournament has the participation of 16 teams. This is a figure showing that this playground continues to maintain a stable scale, and also reflects the attraction of amateur basketball in the Northern region.
However, the noteworthy point of this year's season is not only the number of participating teams. After merging administrative boundaries, many teams will play for the first time under new names, new squads and new resources. Therefore, the tournament is considered a measure of the shift of the Northern amateur basketball map.
According to Mr. Thai Dai Duong - Professional Advisor of New Sports Joint Stock Company, the number of 16 teams shows that Northern basketball still maintains a stable scale and certain attraction in the regional amateur basketball system.
Compared to last season, when there was an additional play-in round, this year most teams have been merged with administrative boundaries and will enter the official tournament directly. What we expect is not only the number of participating teams, but also the professional quality that is improved in each match," Mr. Duong said.
New map of amateur basketball
One of the notable points of this year's season is that many teams enter the tournament with added and adjusted forces. This may create fluctuations in the force balance, especially when some teams are expanded in athlete sources and have more conditions to increase squad depth.
However, Mr. Thai Dai Duong believes that this change does not lose the identity of each team. On the contrary, this is an opportunity for teams to build forces in a broader direction, on the basis of preserving and promoting existing strengths.
We believe that the change does not lose the local basketball identity, but creates an intersection between teams, communities and athlete forces. That combination can help each team form a new identity, broader and more representative," Mr. Thai Dai Duong shared.
Besides traditional teams, this season also recorded the participation of some representatives from the Northwest region. According to the organizers, this is a positive sign showing that amateur basketball is continuing to spread to many localities, contributing to creating more color and increasing competitiveness for the tournament.
Increasing professionalism, paving the way for young players
This season, each team is allowed to register 4 professional athletes, instead of 2 as before. In addition, U18 athletes are not included in the professional slot and each team must register at least 2 U19 athletes.
According to Mr. Thai Dai Duong, increasing the number of registered professional athletes is aimed at improving professional quality and increasing competitiveness in each match.
As the grassroots level develops, the presence of more highly qualified players will make matches more attractive, while creating more positive pressure for teams in the preparation process.
However, the tournament is not only aimed at the immediate competitiveness factor. Regulations related to the group of young athletes show the direction of developing successor forces in localities.
In many provinces and cities, the young force is not lacking in potential but still has limited opportunities to compete in high-intensity playgrounds. When competing with experienced athletes, young players have more environment to learn, hone their bravery and accumulate experience.
After the 2026 season, the organizers expect that changes in force will contribute to creating more attractive competition between teams, and at the same time continue to affirm the role of the Northern Open Basketball Tournament in promoting the development of amateur basketball in the Northern region.
The tournament is not only an annual playground, but also a test for the adaptability and sustainable development of amateur basketball in the Northern region.
