Following the withdrawal of Iraqi Basketball League outfit Al Difaa Al Jawii, the Sub-Zone League has been reduced to five teams.
The 2025-26 WASL-West Asia League opens November 5 in Beirut, and Sagesse SC will play Iran’s Shardari Gorgan.
Al Riyadi will then open 'four-peat' bid the following night on November 6 at home as well when it hosts Al Wahda SC.
The Sub-Zone League's Group Phase will run from November 5 to February 19, with the top four teams after the single round-robin, home-and-away Group Phase advancing to the Semi-Finals.
The no. 1 seed will face the fourth-ranked team, while the second and third-placed teams will comprise the other bracket.
The Semi-Finals will be a best-of-3. Winners will advance to the Final, which is also a best-of-3, with the losing sides playing in the knockout Third-Place Game as the three best teams will advance to the Final 8.
The Final Phase will also be played in a home-and-away format.
The team finishing fourth, however, can still vie for a spot in the Final 8 as they will take on the fourth-placer of the WASL-Gulf League for the coveted ticket, according to the new qualification system, fiba.basketball reported.
Seven WASL teams plus the SABA champions will make up the 2025-26 Final 8.