The Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) have announced their 24-game 2026 season schedule.
The reigning back-to-back CEBL Champions will open the season with a three-game road trip, tipping off against the Ottawa BlackJacks on Monday May 18, followed by matchups with the Winnipeg Seabears on Friday May 22, and Edmonton Stingers on Sunday May 24. The River Lions will then return home for their Home Opener at the Meridian Centre on Friday May 29 when they host the Vancouver Bandits.
In 2025, the Niagara River Lions marked the 10th anniversary of the franchise while completing their sixth season as a member of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. The club concluded the campaign with a 14–10 regular-season record and captured its second consecutive CEBL championship, defeating the Calgary Surge 79–73 in Winnipeg to further cement its place among the league’s elite.
“As we unveil our 2026 schedule, our focus remains the same: delivering an exceptional experience for our fans, our partners, and the Niagara community. We look forward to returning to celebrate our second championship together, while staying hungry and determined as we chase our third” said River Lions President Michelle Biskup,
New this year, the league will host a full in-market playoff model and the first best-of-three CEBL Finals series.
The 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League Playoffs will begin with single-elimination Conference Semifinals on Thursday, August 6, where the 1st seed faces the 4th seed and the 2nd seed faces the 3rd seed in each conference. Winners will advance to the Conference Finals on Saturday, August 8, also single elimination, with higher seeds hosting each round. The CEBL Finals will be a best-of-three series from August 12–16, marking the first multi-game playoff series in league history:
Game 1 – August 12
Game 2 – August 15
Game 3 (if necessary) – August 16
The lower seed team will host Game 1, while the higher seed will host Games 2 and 3 (if necessary), replacing the previous single-elimination Championship Weekend host team model.
Key highlights of the River Lions’ 2026 schedule include:
May 29 home opener at the Meridian Centre at 7:00pm versus the Vancouver Bandits
A 24 game schedule including 12 home games at the Meridian Centre and 12 games on the road over the thirteen weeks
Four Friday, two Wednesday, one Thursday and one Saturday evening home game nights
Two Sunday and one Saturday afternoon home games
A School Day Game on Friday June 19 at 11:00 am
A five game home stand starting May 29
A championship rematch on June 3rd versus the Calgary Surge
The final home game of the regular season on Sunday July 26 at 3:00pm against the Ottawa Blackjacks
Niagara River Lions season tickets are now available, with voucher packs, group and single-game tickets set to go on sale in the coming months. Fans can find ticket information at www.riverlions.ca/tickets or by calling 289-273-5905 or visiting 102-10 Albert St. East, Thorold.
In 2025, the CEBL featured 17 players with NBA experience, and nearly 70 per cent of its athletes were Canadian – the highest proportion of domestic talent in any professional sports league in the country. To date, nearly 40 players have signed NBA contracts following CEBL seasons, which run from May through August.
For more information about the league, visit CEBL.ca and for more on the River Lions visit riverlions.ca
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
