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| Ginebra's RJ Abarrientos (center, in red) moves against two Magnolia defenders in a Manila Clasico last June 2025. Photo: PBA Images. |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots will renew their age-old rivalry this Sunday, October 5, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, the perfect backdrop for a milestone season opener.
Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m., following the annual Leo Awards that will celebrate last season’s brightest stars. Fans can expect a packed day, but the real spark is the Ginebra-Magnolia showdown, a matchup that always delivers intensity, drama, and noise from both sides of the aisle.
HANDA NA SA SOLID NA SIMULA 💪
— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) October 1, 2025
The golden year of the PBA is about to tip off, as Season 50 opens this Sunday with the iconic Philippine Cup, featuring the much-anticipated Manila Clasico between Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.#PBA50 #PBASolid pic.twitter.com/wC6pQ6lHLf
The storyline writes itself: Magnolia’s newly minted head coach LA Tenorio, a Ginebra icon for more than a decade, will now be calling the shots for the Hotshots against his former squad. Talk about a baptism of fire. With Magnolia undergoing a late-season facelift last year, Tenorio’s debut only adds fuel to an already electric rivalry.
Season 50 won’t just live in Manila, either. The league is spreading the celebration far and wide.
On October 26, the PBA heads back to Dubai for the first time in six years, with Ginebra facing San Miguel at the Coca-Cola Arena. Two months later, Bahrain gets its turn, hosting Magnolia vs. Rain or Shine on December 15 and then RoS vs. Ginebra on December 17.
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| Former Ginebra star and now Magnolia head coach LA Tenorio (left, in red) will be on the other side of the fence in this upcoming Manila Clasico. Photo: PBA Media Bureau. |
Local fans outside the capital won’t be left out. Ilocos Sur welcomes Converge vs. TNT at the Chavit Coliseum on October 18, while Cagayan de Oro hosts Rain or Shine vs. TNT on November 15.
The league has also aligned with Gilas Pilipinas, scheduling a break from November 17 to December 4 to give the national team breathing room ahead of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
Manila Clasico to kick off #PBA50, by @justinebacnis#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/XBnVJelQqd pic.twitter.com/7Xg9Gb5xI8
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) October 1, 2025
As for the Philippine Cup grind, eliminations will run from October 5 to December 19. The top eight teams will punch their tickets to the playoffs, with the top four securing the coveted twice-to-beat advantage.
Fifty years in, the PBA is still finding new ways to make the game bigger, louder, and more global. And there’s no better way to start than with another classic between Ginebra and Magnolia.
Buckle up, fans. Season 50 is here.