UAAP Guide: How the Season Works, Venues & Where to Watch
The UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) is the country's premier collegiate sports league — and its basketball and volleyball tournaments are among the most-followed sporting events in the Philippines, with rivalries that fill arenas and light up social media.
The member schools
Eight universities compete in the UAAP: Ateneo, De La Salle, UP, UST, FEU, NU, Adamson, and UE. The fiercest rivalry — Ateneo vs. La Salle — regularly packs out major arenas.
How the season works
- Basketball takes the spotlight in the second half of the year (around September to December), running an elimination round into the Final Four and a best-of-three Finals.
- Volleyball — both women's and men's — follows later in the season and has become a massive draw in its own right.
- The league also contests many other sports across the school year.
Where games are played
UAAP basketball and volleyball are staged at Metro Manila's big arenas, most often the Mall of Asia Arena, Smart Araneta Coliseum, and Rizal Memorial Coliseum, plus the Ynares arenas for some games. Big Finals almost always land at MOA Arena or Araneta.
Where to watch & tickets
- Live: buy tickets through the venue's official outlet — SM Tickets for MOA Arena, TicketNet for Araneta. See how to buy tickets.
- On screen: games are carried on TV and streaming; big matches draw huge online audiences.
FAQ
When is the UAAP basketball season? Typically the second half of the year, roughly September to December, ending with the Finals.
Which schools are in the UAAP? Ateneo, De La Salle, UP, UST, FEU, NU, Adamson, and UE.
Where can I watch UAAP games live? Mainly at MOA Arena, Araneta Coliseum, and Rizal Memorial, with big games at MOA Arena or Araneta.
Catch a game: browse basketball and sports events or the full Metro Manila venues guide.