SPB 2026 News - League will start on March 7th with 14 teams, Toros de Aragua won't play

Venezuela's Superliga Profesional de Baloncesto (SPB) will start its 2026 season on March 7th with 14 teams split into two conferences and the notable absence of a historical franchise, Toros de Aragua.

These are the two 7-team Conferences for the 2026 season:

Eastern Conference
Guaiqueries de Margarita
Panteras de Miranda
Piratas de La Guaira
Spartans Distrito Capital
Marinos de Anzoategui (fusion of Marinos de Oriente and Gladiadores de Anzoategui)
Diablos de Miranda (returning franchise)
Centauros de Bolivar (returning franchise, known before as Centauros de Portuguesa)

Western Conference
Brillantes del Zulia
Cocodrilos de Caracas
Gaiteros del Zulia
Frontinos del Tachira
Pioneros del Avila
Trotamundos de Carabobo
Heroes de Falcon (returning franchise)

Each team will play 24 games, including 4 against each conference rival (two at home and two as visitors).

Gaiteros del Zulia will be the defending champions, after beating Trotamundos de Carabobo in 5 games (4-1) in the SPB 2025 Finals, led by coach Julio Duquela .

Franchise changes
-Toros de Aragua will take the option of a one-year absence and their players will be drafted by active franchise as loaned players for one season
-Llaneros de Guarico will not participate in the tournament and Heroes de Falcon will be the the active franchise (these franchises had merged in 2025)
-Centauros de Portuguesa is back as a franchise -after a brief merger with Brillantes del Zulia- but under a new name: Centauros de Bolivar. They are moving from Guanare (Portuguesa) to Puerto Ordaz (Bolivar).
-Marinos de Anzoategui will come back as a franchise, after the merger of Marinos de Oriente and Gladiadores de Anzoategui. They are also getting their old home back: Luis Ramos Arena in Puerto La Cruz, Anzoategui.
-Diablos de Miranda return after a one-year absence
-Gigantes de Guayana and Guaros de Lara will remain out of competition for another season