Winnipeg Sea Bears Unveil 2026 Schedule Set to Tip Off at Canada Life Centre on May 16

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) officially released the 2026 schedule today, setting the stage for another high-energy summer at Canada Life Centre. The Sea Bears will once again bring fast-paced CEBL action to downtown Winnipeg with a home slate packed with marquee matchups, national broadcasts, and fan-favourite theme nights.

The Sea Bears home slate tips off with a Prairie rivalry matchup on Saturday, May 16 at 7:00 PM, when the Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club comes to town. Winnipeg then hosts the Niagara River Lions on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 PM, kicking off an early season stretch that sets the tone for the summer ahead.

June brings a strong run of marquee opponents and fan-friendly start times, starting with the Calgary Surge on Friday, June 12, followed by the Vancouver Bandits on Thursday, June 18. The Sea Bears welcome the Edmonton Stingers for a weekend matinee on Saturday, June 20 at 3:00 PM, a weekend afternoon tip-off ideal for families. Winnipeg then host Saskatchewan once again on Tuesday, June 30, a Canada Day Eve matchup that has quickly become a staple on the summer sports calendar.

The home schedule continues through July with Edmonton returning on Thursday, July 9, before two afternoon matchups Sunday, July 12 versus Calgary and Sunday, July 19 against the Montreal Alliance. Vancouver returns to Winnipeg Thursday, July 23, and the Brampton Honey Badgers come to town on Saturday, July 25 for the last matinee game on the calendar. The Sea Bears close the regular-season home schedule with the Ottawa BlackJacks on Friday, July 31 at 7:00 PM.

With a mix of weekend matinees, prime-time weekday tips, and rivalry matchups, the 2026 home schedule is built to make Sea Bears basketball a centerpiece of summer in Winnipeg.

New Playoff Format Debuts in 2026

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.

January 15 is the season ticket member renewal deadline. This is the final opportunity to renew existing seats or purchase new season tickets and be entered to win tickets for the entire 2026 Sea Bears season. Fans are encouraged to act now to secure their spot at Canada Life Centre and be part of another unforgettable summer of Sea Bears basketball.

VIEW THE FULL 2026 WINNIPEG SEA BEARS SCHEDULE