After a dramatic playoff run, the Winnipeg Sea Bears have earned a spot in the championship series and will face the Brampton Honey Badgers in a historic matchup that will determine the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League champion.
The Winnipeg Sea Bears punched their ticket to the Finals on Saturday, August 8, defeating the Vancouver Bandits 107-96 in the Western Conference Final. The victory came just two days after Winnipeg defeated the Saskatoon Mamba 99-88 in the Western Conference semifinal.
The two playoff victories have put Winnipeg just two wins away from its first CEBL championship.
Winnipeg Sea Bears vs. Brampton Honey Badgers
The Sea Bears will face the Brampton Honey Badgers in the first-ever CEBL Finals series.
The matchup presents an interesting challenge for Winnipeg, as Brampton won both regular-season meetings between the teams in 2026.
The Honey Badgers defeated Winnipeg 96-92 on May 25 in Brampton before returning to Winnipeg on July 25 and winning another close game, 88-86, at Canada Life Centre.
That gives Brampton a 2-0 record against Winnipeg this season heading into the championship series.
However, the Sea Bears will have the advantage of hosting Games 2 and 3, if necessary, after finishing higher in the regular-season standings.
Who Are the Brampton Honey Badgers?
The Brampton Honey Badgers are one of the CEBL’s established franchises, originally beginning as the Hamilton Honey Badgers before relocating permanently to Brampton.
The team won the CEBL championship in 2022 and will be looking to add another championship to its franchise history. Brampton reached the 2026 Finals after defeating the Niagara River Lions 98-96 in the Eastern Conference Final.
The Honey Badgers finished the regular season with an 11-13 record and entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
How the Sea Bears Made the CEBL Finals
Winnipeg entered the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 14-10 record, earning the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
The Sea Bears opened the playoffs on August 6 against the Saskatoon Mamba. Winnipeg came away with a convincing 99-88 victory to advance to the Western Conference Final.
Just two days later, Winnipeg faced the Vancouver Bandits, who had finished first in the Western Conference. Despite Vancouver winning both of the teams’ late-season meetings, the Sea Bears came through when it mattered most. Winnipeg defeated Vancouver 107-96 on August 8 to claim the Western Conference championship and advance to the CEBL Finals.
One of the biggest storylines of Winnipeg’s playoff run has been the team’s ability to overcome adversity and find contributions from throughout the roster.
The Sea Bears entered the playoffs shorthanded, but delivered two impressive victories against Saskatoon and Vancouver to become the first Winnipeg team to reach the CEBL championship series.
CEBL Finals Make League History
The 2026 CEBL Finals will be historic regardless of which team wins. For the first time in league history, the CEBL championship will be decided by a best-of-three series.
Previous CEBL championships were decided through a single-game format during Championship Weekend. The league has moved away from that format in 2026, introducing a multi-game championship series for the first time.
The first two rounds of the 2026 playoffs remain single-elimination, but the Finals will require a team to win two games to become CEBL champions.
Because Winnipeg is the higher seed, Brampton will host Game 1 before the series moves to Winnipeg for Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3.
2026 CEBL Finals Schedule
- Game 1 — Wednesday, August 12
Winnipeg Sea Bears at Brampton Honey Badgers
7:00 p.m. CT / 8:00 p.m. ET
CAA Centre — Brampton, Ontario - Game 2 — Saturday, August 15
Brampton Honey Badgers at Winnipeg Sea Bears
2:30 p.m. CT / 3:30 p.m. ET
Canada Life Centre — Winnipeg, Manitoba - Game 3 — Sunday, August 16 — If Necessary
Brampton Honey Badgers at Winnipeg Sea Bears
2:30 p.m. CT / 3:30 p.m. ET
Canada Life Centre — Winnipeg, Manitoba
All three potential Finals games will be broadcast nationally on CBC and TSN, with streaming also available through TSN+, CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem, YouTube and CEBL+.
Winnipeg Has a Chance to Make History
The Sea Bears have never reached the CEBL Finals since joining the league in 2023. Now, the franchise is just two victories away from its first championship.
The matchup against Brampton won’t be easy. The Honey Badgers have already beaten Winnipeg twice this season, including a narrow two-point victory at Canada Life Centre.
But the Sea Bears have already shown during the playoffs that the regular season is history.
Winnipeg knocked off Saskatoon and Vancouver in consecutive single-elimination games to win the Western Conference and earn its place in the first best-of-three CEBL Finals.
The series begins Wednesday, August 12 in Brampton before coming back to Winnipeg for what could be a historic championship weekend at Canada Life Centre.
