MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has officially welcomed the Macau Black Bears as a guest team for the upcoming Commissioner’s Cup, which is set to tip off on March 11, 2026.
The deal was finalized following a high-level meeting in Macau on Friday, February 6, 2026, between PBA officials and the Black Bears management.
Key Partnership Details
- The Delegation: PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial led the trip, joined by Vice Chairman Alfrancis Chua and Operations Director Eric Castro. They met with Black Bears team owner Jackie Fung, President Lukas Peng, and Filipino team executives Mark Dandan (Team Manager) and Jacque Ruby (Team Delegate).
- Tournament Format: The Black Bears will serve as the 13th team in the midseason conference. As per Commissioner’s Cup rules, teams are permitted to tap imports of any height.
- International Expansion: Macau becomes the third foreign guest team to join the PBA since 2022, following in the footsteps of the Bay Area Dragons and Eastern, both based in Hong Kong.
Competitive Context The Black Bears, who also compete in The Asian Tournament, bring an international flavor to the local league. Their inclusion is seen as a strategic move to boost the PBA’s regional appeal and provide local teams with a different style of competition.
With the formalization of the guest stint, the Macau-based squad is expected to begin its buildup immediately, aiming to mirror the deep playoff run of the Bay Area Dragons during their 2022-23 guest appearance. Fans are eager to see how the Black Bears’ roster will stack up against PBA powerhouses in a conference known for its unrestricted import height limit.