South African basketball has always waiting for the next generation to emerge. From blacktops of Soweto, the school courts of the Cape Flats and the floodlit slabs of KwaMashu, the game has been loud, fast and full of flair for years. Now, Red Bull Half Court returns for its second season, with registration officially open for teams chasing a place at the 2026 World Final in Manila.
Red Bull Half Court is one of the fastest version of basketball. It is 3on3, half a court, ten minutes on the clock or first team to 21 points, whichever lands first. No long games. Nowhere to hide. Every possession is a decision and every bucket counts. The format carries a Red Bull twist called the “Own the Court” bonus, which rewards the highest-scoring team in each group with a place in the next round, even if they don’t finish with the best win-loss record. It means every basket matters until the final whistle.
Streetball in South Africa was never only about the score. It is the music, the kit, the dance and the crowd on the fence reacting to every crossover. When the first National Final packed out Wits University last September, the soundtrack and the swagger mattered as much as the final whistle. That is the version of basketball South Africans have been playing for years. Red Bull Half Court simply gives it a global stage.
The country is not starting from zero, either. South Africa has a professional men’s and women’s league in the Basketball National League, a club competing on the continental stage in the Basketball Africa League, and a fast growing base of young players who grew up watching the game online and rebuilding it on concrete. The talent has been here for years. The pipeline is finally catching up.
The road is simple, and steep. Teams register, then fight through three city qualifiers for a place at the National Final.
KwaZulu-Natal – 1 August – Durban University of Technology
Gauteng – 2 August – Emeris Sandton
Western Cape – 7 August – University of Cape Town
National Final
Johannesburg – 22 August
The men’s and women’s champions earn the biggest prize in the game: the right to wear the South African flag at the Red Bull Half Court World Final, in Manila, The Philippines, on 5 December 2026.
Registration is open now visit www.redbull.com/halfcourt. Teams of three to four players can enter for a chance to represent South Africa. Pull together a team of three to four players, lock in your line up and claim your shot at the court.
A few ground rules: every player must be 18 or older, at least three players must be South African residents, and there are no substitutions on game day, so bring the squad you trust. Check in opens 90 minutes before tip-off, so arrive early and warm.
Red Bull Half Court is a free event for all spectators. Spots are limited, so teams should claim their place early.