Professional basketball is heading to Canada's Yukon Territory for the first time, as the Calgary Surge and Saskatoon Mamba will face off in a Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) regular-season contest on July 3, 2026, at Takhini Arena in Whitehorse.
Historic Game in the North
The game, part of the inaugural Snowline Gold 2026 REAL North Classic, will be the first regular-season professional basketball game ever played in Canada's Territories. The event, running from July 1-4, also includes a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a coaches clinic, and a youth basketball skills camp.
Jason Ribeiro and Usman Tahir Jutt, owners of both the Surge and the Mamba through their company REAL Entertainment & Culture Inc., announced the neutral-site game on Tuesday. The contest will be held during Canada Day Weekend, which Ribeiro described as "a perfect way to showcase our values."
Expanding Basketball Across Canada
Ribeiro explained the motivation behind owning two CEBL teams: "Because we're proud Canadians." He added that bringing the game to Whitehorse reflects the same pride. The CEBL has hosted five neutral-site regular-season games in its history, with REAL driving four of them, including events in Red Deer, Lethbridge, and now the Yukon.
"We talk about how in Canada's pro basketball league, we've seen step by step how we've started to engage underserved communities," Ribeiro said. "We started in Red Deer, and we had our second annual Surge2RedDeer on Sunday. We're now extending that into Lethbridge (on June 20). And we've extended that into Saskatoon, across two different venues."
The Mamba, which REAL rebranded from the Saskatchewan Rattlers, will host the Surge in this historic matchup. The event is supported by the Government of Yukon and Air North, and will feature mascot appearances during the Canada Day Parade and a 3x3 tournament organized by local sports groups.
A Growing League
The CEBL, now in its eighth season, continues to expand its reach across Canada. The neutral-site games have brought professional basketball to communities that rarely host top-tier live events. Ribeiro noted that the Yukon was a natural choice: "Where is the country's attention sort of gravitating towards? As of late, it's started to gravitate towards the north."
The multi-day event is the first of three consecutive annual events planned for Whitehorse, reinforcing the league's commitment to bringing basketball to all Canadians.
