The 2026 BC Junior All Native Basketball Tournament brings over 1,200 athletes and 100 teams to Langley, celebrating sport, culture, and community spirit.
B.C.’s Biggest Indigenous Youth Sports Celebration Heads to Langley
Get ready, Langley! The province’s largest Indigenous youth sports event — and one of Canada’s biggest basketball tournaments — is bouncing into town this March. From March 15–20, 2026, the Langley Events Centre will come alive as it hosts the 2026 BC Junior All Native Basketball Tournament.
With over 1,200 young athletes and 100 teams from across B.C., the event promises a week packed with energy, competition, and community pride. More than 100 Indigenous communities will be represented, making it a powerful celebration of culture, connection, and youth empowerment.
A Stage for Young Indigenous Talent
For Nicole Cardinal, team manager of Vancity Nation Basketball, this tournament means more than just hoops and highlights.
It’s an opportunity to showcase our urban youth who live away from their communities and to connect them with Indigenous athletes from across B.C.,” Cardinal shared. “This helps build strong, confident leaders through the sport they love.
The games will tip off at multiple venues, including R.E. Mountain Secondary, Langley Secondary, Walnut Grove Secondary, Peter Ewart Middle, and Yorkson Creek Middle schools. The opening ceremony is set for March 15, while the championship games will light up the court on March 20.
A Return to the Lower Mainland
This marks the first time in eight years that the tournament returns to the Lower Mainland — the last being in 2018 at Capilano University in North Vancouver.
The 2026 event is made possible by the partnership between the Vancouver Bandits, the Bandits Community Foundation, Vancity Nation Basketball, and the Kwantlen First Nation. Together, they’re uniting sport, culture, and community in a way that’s nothing short of inspiring.
More Than a Game — It’s a Movement
Dylan Kular, president of the Vancouver Bandits, summed it up perfectly:
This tournament represents the very best of what sport can do — bringing people together, celebrating culture, and inspiring the next generation.
Rotating annually through Northern, Coastal, and Interior B.C., the tournament continues to grow in scale and impact. The most recent event, hosted by the Syilx Okanagan Nation in 2025, set the stage for what’s expected to be an unforgettable week in Langley.
Bringing Community and Culture to the Court
More than just a competition, the BC Junior All Native Basketball Tournament is a celebration of resilience, heritage, and youth empowerment. As thousands gather next March, Langley won’t just be hosting basketball games — it’ll be hosting a legacy in motion.
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