The NBA China Games 2026: A fan’s guide to Macao

The Dallas Mavericks play the Houston Rockets twice at the Venetian Arena in Macao on Friday, 9 October (7:30 pm) and Sunday, 11 October (5:30 pm). Dallas brings Kyrie Irving, 2025-26 Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, and rookie Morez Johnson Jr. Houston counters with Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, and Amen Thompson. An NBA Fan Day follows on Saturday 10 October (3:30 pm), hosted by rapper MC Jin.

How do I get tickets to the NBA China Games 2026?

Tickets went on sale 12 August through Cotai Ticketing, Taobao 88VIP, Trip.com and MPay, and were still on sale when last checked.

Eight tickets maximum per transaction. Collect physical tickets at the box office from 21 September onwards. The 2025 Suns-Nets games sold out quickly, so don’t leave this too late. Full details are on the NBA’s official announcement and Sands China’s arena page.

The Venetian Arena was renovated in 2025 and now seats 14,000, down from 15,000 when it was the old Cotai Arena but with new VIP suites added.

How do I get to Macao?

Macao’s own airport has limited international routes, so most travellers fly into Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and cross over.

The simplest route from HKIA is the SkyPier ferry, a dedicated terminal inside HKIA itself. Clear Hong Kong immigration airside, sail directly to Macao in about an hour, and land near Cotai.

There’s also the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle bus. A connector bus gets you from HKIA to the bridge’s Hong Kong Port in about 10 minutes, then the crossing takes roughly 40 minutes. Buses run every 5 minutes at peak times, 24 hours a day, more frequently than the ferries and with a comparable overall journey time.

Want to see a bit of Hong Kong along the way? Take the Airport Express into the city first, then a ferry across to Macao.

[See more: Asian Games: Hong Kong and Macao trade wushu golds in Nagoya]

If you take the ferry, pick the operator based on where you’re headed. Cotai Water Jet lands at Taipa, right by the arena (HK$192 weekdays, $209 weekends, $242 night sailings). TurboJET’s main route lands at the Outer Harbour Terminal on the peninsula, better if you’re also visiting the historic centre (HK$194 weekday, $212 weekend, $242 night).

Do I need a visa for Macao?

As of Macao’s Public Security Police Force (updated 10 August 2026), 88 countries and territories get visa-free entry, including the US, UK, EU states, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and India. Stay limits vary by nationality.

• Most nationalities, including India, the US, Canada, and Australia: 30 days
• EU/Schengen countries, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and others: 90 days
• British passport holders: 6 months

Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam nationals need a visa arranged in advance through a Chinese embassy or consulate rather than on arrival. Passports should be valid at least 90 days beyond the stay, with proof of onward travel. See the full country list here.

Where should I stay in Macao during the NBA China Games 2026?

Staying at a Sands property on the Cotai Strip puts you steps from the arena. The Venetian Macao is the obvious pick since the arena sits inside it, but the Parisian, Londoner and Four Seasons are all connected to it by indoor walkways, so any of them work just as well without necessarily paying the on-site premium. 

Further out, other Cotai resorts like Galaxy Macau or City of Dreams are a free shuttle ride away. Budget travellers often base themselves on the Macao Peninsula near the historic centre instead, typically cheaper and just as reachable via the free shuttle network or the LRT.

How do I get around once I’m there?

Every major Cotai resort runs free shuttle buses to both ferry terminals, the airport, and the mainland border gate, open to anyone, not just hotel guests. It’s the easiest way to move around Macao, and something a lot of first-timers miss entirely. For point-to-point trips, the Macao LRT’s Taipa/Cotai line covers the Cotai Strip cheaply (6 to 12 patacas) and skips road traffic altogether. Currency is the Macao pataca, though Hong Kong dollars are accepted almost everywhere. 

Uber relaunched in Macao in February 2026, booking licensed local taxis at metered fares through the app, though coverage is still building as local taxi companies opt in gradually; a street-hailed taxi remains a reliable backup.

What else should I do while I’m there?

Beyond the two games, a few additions are easy to fold into the trip.

NBA House Macao 2026 is confirmed for 7-11 October across Halls A and B of the Venetian Macao. General entry is free with no registration required; only select performances need booking through NBAChinaGames.com.

Ten NBA legends headline, including Ray Allen, Chris Bosh and Shawn Marion (who won the Mavericks’ only championship in 2011), alongside Chinese basketball star Ding Yanyuhang, who played for Dallas’s 2017 NBA Summer League team. Expect a merchandise village with a customisation lab, a huge food area mixing local dishes with Texas cuisine, an AWS-powered shooting challenge on a smart LED court, and viewing parties for both preseason games.

[See more: NBA House Macao 2026 lineup revealed]

A short walk from there at the Londoner is the NBA Macao Flagship Store, the first officially licensed NBA store in Macao and Hong Kong (Shoppes at Londoner, Shop 2209, Level 2, open 11 am-9 pm). It carries Macao-exclusive NBA gear alongside the usual jerseys and has an on-site jersey customisation counter.

While you’re off the court

Every first-timer gets told to try Macao’s egg tarts, and for once the advice holds up. The original Lord Stow’s Bakery is in Coloane village, about 20-30 minutes from Cotai, but there’s no need to make the trip especially, since it also has branches at both the Londoner and the Venetian, so you can grab one on the same stop as the NBA store. Margaret’s Café e Nata, more central, is the other name locals argue about.

For a landmark, head to the Ruins of St. Paul’s, the 17th-century facade at the heart of Macao’s UNESCO-listed historic centre and the most photographed spot in the city. It’s roughly 20-30 minutes from Cotai by free shuttle plus a short taxi or bus, or by LRT.

Closer by, Taipa Village packs narrow lanes and Macanese snack stalls into a compact old town, a short taxi ride from the Cotai resorts and easy to cover in a couple of hours without planning a whole excursion.

And if you’re staying at the Venetian itself, don’t miss the Grand Canal indoors – an actual gondola ride through a recreated Venice, complete with singing gondoliers. You can walk through it for free, since the hotel built it right into its structure.

Why does this matter beyond the NBA China Games 2026?

This isn’t quite the NBA “returning to China.” That happened in 2025, when the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets played the first games here since the league’s relationship with Chinese broadcasters fractured in 2019. This year marks the second season of a confirmed five-year partnership between the NBA and Sands China, staged in Macao rather than the mainland. Houston’s involvement dates back further than most, to Yao Ming joining the franchise in 2002 and the surge of Chinese interest in the Rockets that followed.

Last updated 22 September 2026. Ticket availability, visa rules and pricing confirmed as of this date, reverify closer to travel. Sourced from NBA.com, Sands China and Macao government immigration filings.