The 2026 NBA preseason begins on October 3 and opens with a game outside the United States. The confirmed international schedule includes two NBA Canada Games and two NBA China Games, with games in Quebec City, Vancouver and Macao. For viewers in Brazil, the four games land at very different times, from early morning to early evening.
The NBA lists October 3 as the official start of preseason play. That same day, the Toronto Raptors face the Miami Heat in Canada. Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets then meet twice in Macao, while the Raptors and LA Clippers play the second Canadian game.
2026 NBA international preseason schedule
| Event | City | Matchup | Date | Local time | Brasília time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBA Canada Games | Quebec City, Canada | Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors | October 3 | 7:00 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. |
| NBA China Games | Macao, China | Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks | October 9 | 8:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
| NBA Canada Games | Vancouver, Canada | LA Clippers vs. Toronto Raptors | October 10 | 3:30 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| NBA China Games | Macao, China | Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets | October 11 | 6:00 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. |
The times above use the NBA's published schedule and conversion to Brasília time, UTC-3. In October, Quebec City is on UTC-4, Vancouver on UTC-7 and Macao on UTC+8. That puts the games in Asia in Brazil's morning, while the Canadian games fall in the evening.
What the 2026 NBA Canada Games include
The 2026 edition features two Toronto Raptors preseason games. On October 3, Toronto faces the Miami Heat at Videotron Centre in Quebec City. According to the NBA, it will be the league's first preseason game in the city.
One week later, on October 10, the Raptors face the LA Clippers at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The league says this will be Vancouver's eighth NBA Canada Game and the 21st and 22nd Canada Games since the series began in 2012.
The Raptors schedule lists 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time for the Miami game and 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time for the Clippers matchup. In Brasília, those tipoffs are 8:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
When the 2026 NBA China Games will be played
Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets will play both games in Macao at The Venetian Arena. The first is scheduled for October 9 and the second for October 11. The NBA also announced related events including NBA House, NBA Fan Day, basketball clinics and community programs.
The Mavericks' official schedule lists the first matchup at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time and the second at 6:00 a.m. That converts to 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. in Brasília. In Macao, the games begin at 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
How to watch from Brazil
For viewers in Brazil, the broadest option is NBA League Pass. The league's help center says the service includes live and on-demand games and is available in Brazil. The NBA also states that League Pass live-game blackouts apply in the United States and Canada, not Brazil.
League Pass is available through NBA.com, the NBA App and supported devices. In Brazil, fans can also purchase League Pass through Amazon Prime subscriptions and link it to an NBA ID. Game-specific availability can be checked closer to tipoff through Tap to Watch in the NBA App and on NBA.com.
There is an important difference between global availability and an announced local TV channel. The NBA said the Canada Games and China Games will reach international audiences across television, digital media and social platforms, but the initial announcements did not specify every market's broadcast partner. For any additional Brazilian channel or platform, check the game page in the NBA App or NBA.com during game week.
The preseason starts before the China games
The China Games do not open the preseason. The NBA's 2026-27 key dates set October 3 as the start of preseason games, with Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors in Quebec City. The Macao matchups follow six and eight days later.
The regular season begins on October 20. The international block is therefore part of the teams' final preparation rather than a separate competition. For the Raptors, Mavericks and Rockets, these games also add travel and time-zone adjustment before their remaining preseason schedule.
What is confirmed and what can still be updated
Dates, cities, arenas and matchups for all four games are confirmed by the NBA. Tipoff times also appear on official league and team schedules. The area most likely to receive further updates is market-by-market broadcast distribution, especially local TV channels and partners.
For planning from Brazil, the Brasília times are already useful reference points: 8:00 p.m. on October 3, 9:00 a.m. on October 9, 7:30 p.m. on October 10 and 7:00 a.m. on October 11. Before each game, check the official NBA schedule, where viewing options are updated.
