If you are a player without a team to play for in the CBL, your first step in joining the league is to fill out the CBL New Player Sign Up form. Once completed, a member of staff from the league will be in touch to advise you of next steps.
The league (and teams in it) are always looking for new players. We aim to accommodate all players interested in playing in the league, however are also limited each season by the number of teams in the league. If there are no available playing spots left in any season, please be patient, as the CBL expands every year with more teams and additional playing spots.
Complete the online team registration. Please be advised that the league runs a 'first come, first served' policy and are limited in the overall number of teams we can accommodate – so interested teams are encouraged to register early to avoid disappointment.
The application for registration requires you have all of your team details together, to complete. It will ask for details of your Team Manager, Head Coach and some information about your club so we can get a better understanding of the size and level of development of your club.
We welcome teams of all levels, from 'just starting out', to well-experienced clubs. Please follow the following link to complete your form online: Team Application Form.
The CBL provides competitions across the following formats for the 2025/26 season:
CBL Regular Season & Playoffs (September 2025 – April 2026)
The CBL Regular Season is the flagship competition for teams accepted into the league. Teams are grouped by age, gender, and competitive level into one of two divisions:
- CBL PRIME – Top-tier competition (formerly Division 1)
- CBL DEVELOPMENT – Developmental tier (formerly Division 2)
Each team plays 11 regular season games, facing every opponent once. The top 8 teams in each division qualify for a single-elimination playoff tournament, culminating in the CBL FINALS EVENT WEEKEND.
CBL Cup (October 2025 – March 2026)
The CBL Cup is a new competition format designed to introduce an additional layer of competitive play. Teams are placed into group stage pools, where they play each other once. Top teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final in a knockout format.
CBL All-Star Game (May 2026)
The CBL All-Star Game celebrates the standout talent from the CBL PRIME division. The game is the centerpiece of CBL All-Star Saturday—a standalone event featuring entertainment, games, and fan-friendly activities.
The games played per competition are as follows:
- CBL Regular Season & Playoffs: 11-14 games (Central Venue)
- CBL Cup: 8-11 games (home & away)
CBL PRIME & DEVELOPMENT: £600 per team
All fees are inclusive of match officials (referees and table officials) and facility hire for the regular season, playoffs and finals.
CBL Cup: £300 per team
Teams are responsible for hosting home fixtures at their home court and covering the cost of officials for all home fixtures.
All teams entering the CBL for the 2025-26 season will have their own club homepage on the website, providing an online information hub for new and existing players/parents.
Entry fees for either CBL PRIME, CBL DEVELOPMENT or CBL Cup are due upon application.
You will be prompted to make full or partial payment upon completion of your registration application, which is located here: https://cblhoops.co.uk/team-application/
Payment Deadline: All team entry fees are due by 1st September 2025.
Team places are allocated on a first come first served basis.
The CBL season traditionally starts at the end of October and culminates at the end of May. The league reserves the right to slightly amend these dates if necessary.
The CBL hosts divisions across the following divisions:
- U10 (Under 10) – 9 years old by Aug 31st
- U12 (Under 12) – 11 years old by Aug 31st
- U14 (Under 14) – 13 years old by Aug 31st
- U16 (Under 16) – 15 years old by Aug 31st
- U18 (Under 18) – 17 years old by Aug 31st
- U20 (Under 20) – 19 years old by Aug 31st
For further clarity on age restrictions and player eligibility, please follow this link: Player Eligibility
CBL PRIME: Teams competing in CBL PRIME have the flexibility to include as many National League players as they prefer.
This division is focused on providing a performance-oriented platform for players seeking a competitive environment. It aims to challenge participants by offering organised and well-coached competition.
CBL DEVELOPMENT: In the 'D League', teams are not allowed to field any National League players.
This division is specifically aimed at new and developing players within the community. It emphasises participation and provides a supportive environment for learning new skills through team play.
The CBL runs to a 'central venue league' format which pools resources by all teams in the league sharing the same 'home' court and same pool of officials and administrators throughout the league.
This allows teams to participate and compete in a quality driven competition, without the heavy financial overheads of National League competitions. In regular/National League competitions, teams have to budget for officials and court hire and administration every single game, often running costs into several thousand pounds (£) per season.
The CBL provides a more accessible solution by covering all of these costs in a one time registration fee which covers teams for all of your games throughout the entire season.
'CBL Sundays' feature multiple games in the same venue and normally require venues with a minimum of 2 courts to schedule the games on. Wherever possible, we schedule the games in regionally accessible locations.
Venues we regularly use include:
- Uxbridge College, Park Rd, Uxbridge UB8 1NQ
- Leyton Score, 2 coronation Square, London E10 5UN
- Goresbrook School, Cook Road, Dagenham RM9 6XW
- Crystal Palace National Sports Centre: Ledrington Road, London SE19 2BB
All players and coaches wishing to participate in any CBL competition must be licensed with the league via this form: https://cblhoops.co.uk/player-licensing/
Coach Requirements:
- Must be insured to coach the teams they are in charge of within the CBL
- Suitably qualified to coach
- Must hold a valid DBS number and declared safe to work with children
Player Requirements:
- All players must be insured via their respective clubs, to play in the CBL
Coaches, clubs and players are free to arrange their own insurance, however the league recommends licensing with Basketball England as all licensed players and coaches with Basketball England are covered by the NGB's group policy.
Note: If/when licensing with Basketball England, to play or coach only in the CBL, you only need to apply for a local league license.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
The Community Basketball League (CBL) is the most coveted grassroots basketball competition in London with over 2,000 registered players representing North, East, West, and South London. Our league provides organised competitions and playing opportunities for a wide range of abilities from early-stage beginners through to the future stars of our game! We strive to drive excitement and character-building playing experiences for young people across our league, while promoting the values of positive sports competition so our players develop lifelong healthy habits and an appreciation and love of the game.
