Toyota is bringing the excitement of Japan’s professional basketball league to Filipino fans with the B.LEAGUE Manila Games 2026, a landmark two-game preseason series featuring Levanga Hokkaido and the Gunma Crane Thunders.
Photos: Dwight Ramos, Aj Edu/Instagram
The teams will take the court at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on September 9 and 10, 2026, marking the league’s first overseas-hosted games.
For Toyota, bringing the B.LEAGUE to the country and supporting the Manila games reflects a shared enthusiasm for basketball that has long connected Filipino and Japanese fans, creating another space for the two communities to come together through sport.
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“Basketball has a special way of bringing people together, and we are proud to support an event that allows Filipino fans to experience B.LEAGUE basketball here in Manila,” said Elijah Marical, Toyota Motor Philippines’ first vice president for vehicle sales operations. “This series is more than two games. It is a celebration of the passion that Japan and the Philippines share for the sport, the friendship between our two countries, and the memorable experiences that basketball can create for fans and families.”
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The games arrive during a milestone year for both the league and Japan-Philippines relations, as 2026 marks the B.LEAGUE’s 10th anniversary alongside the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Philippines.
Against that backdrop, the Manila series brings together Japanese professional basketball and a Filipino fanbase with deep ties to the sport.
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The matchup gives the home crowd a chance to see two Filipino standouts competing for their respective B.LEAGUE clubs: Dwight Ramos of Levanga Hokkaido and AJ Edu of the Gunma Crane Thunders. Their presence gives local supporters a direct connection to the action as both players take the court in front of a home crowd.
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Beyond the action on the court, Toyota will create more ways for fans to enjoy the B.LEAGUE Manila Games 2026 through on-ground experiences like the Toyota Challenge Zone—an interactive space where fans can test their skills through fun, fast-paced games and compete for exciting prizes.
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Through this partnership, Toyota continues its commitment to making meaningful, high-quality sports experiences accessible to international audiences while supporting events that strengthen connections between communities.
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Catch the B.LEAGUE Manila Games 2026 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on September 9 and 10, 2026. Both games tip off at 7:00 p.m.
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