LeBron James will begin his Philadelphia 76ers career against the defending NBA champions New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on opening night of the 2026-27 season.
The blockbuster matchup is among the NBA’s headline fixtures announced for the new campaign, with James also set to make an emotional return to Los Angeles on Christmas Day when the 76ers face his former team, the Lakers.
James joined Philadelphia in July on a two-year, $8 million contract, extending his record-breaking NBA career into a 24th season. The four-time NBA champion remains the league’s all-time leading scorer and will now begin his latest chapter in the Eastern Conference.
The 76ers’ opening-night meeting with the Knicks will take place on 20 October, giving James an immediate test against the reigning NBA champions.
James will then make his first home appearance for Philadelphia two days later when the 76ers host the Cleveland Cavaliers on 22 October. Cleveland holds special significance for the veteran forward, having spent much of his career with the franchise and led the Cavaliers to their first NBA championship in 2016.
The Christmas Day schedule will see James return to Los Angeles to face the Lakers, adding further significance to his first season away from the franchise.
The NBA’s opening-night programme will also feature the Boston Celtics against the Detroit Pistons at 8pm UK time, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder taking on the San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals.
Christmas Day will begin with another NBA Finals rematch between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, before Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Miami Heat travel to Boston to face the Celtics.
The league has also confirmed that Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will travel to Paris in January to face the New Orleans Pelicans. The teams will then head to Manchester for the first NBA game at the Co-op Live Arena.