NBA
NBA Christmas Day 2026: all five games, game times and TV
Five games on Friday 25 December 2026, all on ABC and ESPN in the US: Spurs at Knicks (noon ET), Heat at Celtics (2:30 pm), 76ers at Lakers (5:00 pm), Thunder at Timberwolves (8:00 pm) and Nuggets at Warriors (10:30 pm).
In the UK the first game tips off at 5:00 pm on Christmas Day and the last at 3:30 am on Boxing Day.
Starts Friday 25 December 2026Add to calendarBig times are in your own time zone.
Key facts
- The day opens with the Spurs at Madison Square Garden, a rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals.
- Minnesota hosts a Christmas Day game for the first time.
- Two weeks earlier, on Friday 11 December, the NBA Cup final is played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Start times around the world
| Where you are | Spurs at Knicks | Heat at Celtics | 76ers at Lakers | Thunder at Timberwolves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your time (UK) | ||||
| UK & Ireland (London, Dublin, GMT) | Fri 25 Dec, 17:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 19:30 | Fri 25 Dec, 22:00 | Sat 26 Dec, 01:00 |
| Central Europe | Fri 25 Dec, 18:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 20:30 | Fri 25 Dec, 23:00 | Sat 26 Dec, 02:00 |
| Nigeria (Lagos, WAT) | Fri 25 Dec, 18:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 20:30 | Fri 25 Dec, 23:00 | Sat 26 Dec, 02:00 |
| US & Canada Eastern | Fri 25 Dec, 12:00 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 2:30 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 5:00 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 8:00 pm |
| US Central | Fri 25 Dec, 11:00 am | Fri 25 Dec, 1:30 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 4:00 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 7:00 pm |
| US Mountain | Fri 25 Dec, 10:00 am | Fri 25 Dec, 12:30 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 3:00 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 6:00 pm |
| US Pacific | Fri 25 Dec, 9:00 am | Fri 25 Dec, 11:30 am | Fri 25 Dec, 2:00 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 5:00 pm |
| Mexico City | Fri 25 Dec, 11:00 am | Fri 25 Dec, 1:30 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 4:00 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 7:00 pm |
| Brazil (São Paulo) | Fri 25 Dec, 14:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 16:30 | Fri 25 Dec, 19:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 22:00 |
| Argentina | Fri 25 Dec, 14:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 16:30 | Fri 25 Dec, 19:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 22:00 |
| South Africa (SAST) and Central Africa (CAT) | Fri 25 Dec, 19:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 21:30 | Sat 26 Dec, 00:00 | Sat 26 Dec, 03:00 |
| Saudi Arabia and East Africa (Nairobi) | Fri 25 Dec, 20:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 22:30 | Sat 26 Dec, 01:00 | Sat 26 Dec, 04:00 |
| UAE | Fri 25 Dec, 21:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 23:30 | Sat 26 Dec, 02:00 | Sat 26 Dec, 05:00 |
| India (IST) | Fri 25 Dec, 10:30 pm | Sat 26 Dec, 1:00 am | Sat 26 Dec, 3:30 am | Sat 26 Dec, 6:30 am |
| Philippines & Malaysia | Sat 26 Dec, 1:00 am | Sat 26 Dec, 3:30 am | Sat 26 Dec, 6:00 am | Sat 26 Dec, 9:00 am |
| Australia (Sydney, AEDT) | Sat 26 Dec, 4:00 am | Sat 26 Dec, 6:30 am | Sat 26 Dec, 9:00 am | Sat 26 Dec, 12:00 pm |
| New Zealand | Sat 26 Dec, 6:00 am | Sat 26 Dec, 8:30 am | Sat 26 Dec, 11:00 am | Sat 26 Dec, 2:00 pm |
All sessions
| Session | Your time | UK | US Eastern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spurs at Knicks | 17:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 17:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 12:00 pm |
| Heat at Celtics | 19:30 | Fri 25 Dec, 19:30 | Fri 25 Dec, 2:30 pm |
| 76ers at Lakers | 22:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 22:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 5:00 pm |
| Thunder at Timberwolves | 01:00 | Sat 26 Dec, 01:00 | Fri 25 Dec, 8:00 pm |
| Nuggets at Warriors | 03:30 | Sat 26 Dec, 03:30 | Fri 25 Dec, 10:30 pm |
Games
| Your time | At the venue | Match | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 25 Dec 17:00 | 12:00 pm local 17:00 UK · 12:00 pm ET | San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks Madison Square Garden, New York | ABC, ESPN |
| Fri 25 Dec 19:30 | 2:30 pm local 19:30 UK · 2:30 pm ET | Miami Heat at Boston Celtics TD Garden, Boston | ABC, ESPN |
| Fri 25 Dec 22:00 | 2:00 pm local 22:00 UK · 5:00 pm ET | Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles | ABC, ESPN |
| Sat 26 Dec 01:00 | 7:00 pm local 01:00 UK · 8:00 pm ET | Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves Target Center, Minneapolis | ABC, ESPN |
| Sat 26 Dec 03:30 | 7:30 pm local 03:30 UK · 10:30 pm ET | Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors Chase Center, San Francisco | ABC, ESPN |
All five stream on the ESPN app in the US. The league lists all times as subject to change.
Also this week: Sport on Christmas Day 2026, with every start time and channel.
Every date still to come is on the NBA big dates 2026 NBA Cup final and Christmas Day games page.
Where to watch
| Country | Where to watch | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| All countries | VVOLTIX Ad Every sport and every channel in one IPTV subscription: 55,000+ live channels from 80+ countries, PPV and events included | From $6.66 a month for all of it. Free trial, no card |
| Worldwide | NBA League Pass (NBA App): every game | Subscription |
| UK & Ireland | Sky Sports and Prime Video share the games; League Pass has all of them | Subscription |
| Canada | Sportsnet, TSN and Prime Video | TV package / subscription |
| Australia | ESPN on Kayo and Foxtel, Prime Video | Subscription |
| Philippines | Disney+ (new for 2026-27) | Subscription |
| Spain | DAZN and Prime Video | Subscription |
| France | beIN Sports | Subscription |
| Germany | Sky and Prime Video | Subscription |
The row marked Ad is advertising. Every other row is the official broadcaster there.
Local channels pick their own Christmas games: check the listing for the day.
Quick answers
- What time are the NBA Christmas games in 2026?
- Noon, 2:30 pm, 5:00 pm, 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm ET on Friday 25 December. In the UK: 5:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 10:00 pm, 1:00 am and 3:30 am.
- Which teams play on Christmas Day 2026?
- Spurs at Knicks, Heat at Celtics, 76ers at Lakers, Thunder at Timberwolves and Nuggets at Warriors.
- What channel are the NBA Christmas games on?
- In the US all five are on ABC and ESPN, and on the ESPN app.
- How can I watch the NBA Christmas games outside the US?
- NBA League Pass shows every game, and the table above lists local broadcasters.
Sources
Checked 26 October 2026. We update this page when a time, card or broadcaster changes.