Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are set to return to Europe in 2027 as part of the NBA’s growing international push, with regular-season games scheduled in both Paris and Manchester.
The NBA announced on Wednesday that the Spurs will face the New Orleans Pelicans in Paris on January 14, 2027, before the two teams travel to Manchester, England, for another regular-season matchup three days later.
The Paris game will mark another homecoming for Wembanyama, one of France’s biggest sporting stars and among the NBA’s most marketable young players. The 7-foot-4 center has already played in the French capital with the Spurs, having featured in a two-game series against the Indiana Pacers in January 2025.
That visit came only months after Wembanyama helped France secure a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, further strengthening his popularity in the country and elevating basketball’s profile across Europe.
The 2027 fixture in Manchester will also be historic, becoming the first NBA regular-season game ever played in the city. While London has hosted NBA games in the past, the league’s decision to bring a competitive fixture to Manchester highlights its broader strategy to expand its reach in the United Kingdom and across Europe.
NBA officials described the move as part of the league’s continued international growth plans.
“Playing games in Paris and Manchester reflects the strong momentum we’re seeing for basketball and the NBA in France, the UK and across Europe,” said George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s managing director for Europe and the Middle East.
The announcement has also renewed discussion around the NBA’s reported interest in creating an independent European basketball league. Both Paris and Manchester have emerged as potential markets in those long-term plans, with the NBA exploring opportunities to deepen its footprint on the continent.
For the Spurs, the trip offers another opportunity to showcase Wembanyama in front of European fans, many of whom have closely followed his rise from French basketball prodigy to NBA superstar. Since entering the league, the Frenchman has become one of the faces of the NBA’s next generation, drawing global attention through his unique combination of height, skill and mobility.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, will also gain exposure to growing European audiences as the NBA continues using international games to expand its fan base beyond North America.
With Paris already established as a successful NBA destination and Manchester preparing for its first taste of regular-season basketball, the 2027 European series signals the league’s increasing commitment to global expansion.
