The 2026 season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) is off to a blazing start, with several contenders immediately staking their claim just days into the league’s 8th campaign.
In the North Division, the early race is tightly packed at the top as five teams remain unbeaten. The San Juan Knights lead the charge at 2–0, riding strong momentum highlighted by the much-anticipated debut of Michael Phillips, who made his first MPBL appearance last April 16 against the Cebu Greats. San Juan’s balanced attack has quickly made them the team to beat.
Close behind are the Meycauyan Marilao Gems, continuing a promising start under their new identity after the franchise’s transition from the Muntinlupa Cagers. Meycauyan shares the perfect 2–0 record alongside Caloocan, Bataan, and Marikina, forming a crowded group of early contenders.
The middle of the North standings features Pasay, Bulacan, and Ilagan, all sitting at 1–1 and looking to break into the upper tier. Meanwhile, several teams are still searching for rhythm. The defending champions, Abra Weavers, have yet to play this season and will finally open their title defense on April 21 against the Parañaque Patriots, who are currently winless at 0–2. Also struggling out of the gate are Valenzuela, Manila, and Quezon City, each still hunting for their first victory.
Over in the South Division, Batangas and Gensan have set the pace with identical 2–0 records, establishing themselves as early front-runners. Bacolod sits just behind at 1–0, remaining unbeaten and poised to challenge for the top spot as more games unfold.
A cluster of teams — Basilan, Biñan, Cebu, and Mindoro — are all locked at 1–1, keeping the standings competitive through the middle. Meanwhile, expansion and returning squads such as Negros and Quezon have yet to see action this season.
At the lower end, Imus, Sarangani, and Iloilo are still in search of their first wins, while Rizal and Zamboanga find themselves at 0–2, aiming to bounce back before the gap widens further.
With the season still in its infancy, storylines are already taking shape—from San Juan’s hot start and Meycauyan’s resurgence to Abra’s looming debut as defending champions. As the schedule unfolds, the battle for positioning in both divisions promises to intensify in what is shaping up to be another highly competitive MPBL season.
MPBL Team Standings
| Rank | North Division | South Division |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Juan 2-0 | Batangas 2-0 |
| 2 | Meycauyan 2-0 | Gensan 2-0 |
| 3 | Caloocan 2-0 | Bacolod 1-0 |
| 4 | Bataan 2-0 | Basilan 1-1 |
| 5 | Marikina 2-0 | Biñan 1-1 |
| 6 | Pasay 1-1 | Cebu 1-1 |
| 7 | Bulacan 1-1 | Mindoro 1-1 |
| 8 | Ilagan 1-1 | Negros 0-0 |
| 9 | Abra 0-0 | Quezon 0-0 |
| 10 | Pasig 0-0 | Imus 0-1 |
| 11 | Valenzuela 0-2 | Sarangani 0-1 |
| 12 | Manila 0-2 | Iloilo 0-1 |
| 13 | Quezon City 0-2 | Rizal 0-2 |
| 14 | Parañaque 0-2 | Zamboanga 0-2 |