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Yes. Basketball in Nintendo Switch Sports supports online sessions with friends. Install the game update that added Basketball (version 1.5.0, released July 9, 2024), then use the game’s Play with Friends mode. Every online participant needs internet access, a Nintendo Account, an active Nintendo Switch Online membership and a compatible controller setup.
What you need before starting
Basketball was added in software version 1.5.0. Nintendo’s update notes say the sport is available in Play Globally, Play Locally and Play with Friends. The update was released on July 9, 2024, and Nintendo says current game software is required for internet features. Check the version shown on your console if your menus do not match these instructions.
The official update information is available in Nintendo’s How to Update Nintendo Switch Sports support article.
Accounts, subscription and internet access
- Each person playing online needs a Nintendo Account.
- Each online player needs an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. Buying the game does not include that membership.
- Every console must be connected to the internet.
- For voice chat through Nintendo’s smartphone app, the player also needs a Nintendo Switch Online membership and the Nintendo Switch Online app.
Without an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, Nintendo says Play Globally is limited to a trial competition against computer-controlled opponents. That restriction does not provide a normal friend lobby, so use an active membership for internet play with friends. A family membership may cover eligible Nintendo Accounts under Nintendo’s membership rules, but every remote participant still needs to use an account covered by a valid membership.
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Console mode and controllers
Nintendo Switch Sports does not support Handheld Mode, and Nintendo recommends TV Mode. Controller support depends on the sport and selected play style. Nintendo identifies Joy-Con as supported controllers and says Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers are not supported. Follow the controller prompts shown by the current software, particularly when more than one person is playing on one console.
Read Nintendo’s current compatibility and chat information in the Nintendo Switch Sports FAQ.
How to update Nintendo Switch Sports
Update before trying to create or join a Basketball room. An outdated copy can prevent internet features from working even when the console itself is online.
- Connect the Nintendo Switch to the internet.
- From the HOME Menu, highlight Nintendo Switch Sports.
- Press the + or − button to open the software options.
- Select Software Update.
- Choose Via the Internet.
- Allow the console to download and install the update, then start the game again.
Nintendo’s support page currently lists version 1.5.0 as the Basketball update and identifies July 9, 2024 as its release date. Software labels can change, so use the version displayed on your console and Nintendo’s current update page if a newer release is offered. If the update option reports that the software is current but Basketball is still absent, fully close and relaunch the game before checking the mode menus again.
How to play Basketball online with friends
Friend multiplayer is configured inside Nintendo Switch Sports, not from the Switch HOME Menu friend list. Nintendo’s general invitation guidance says supported games handle invitations and joining within the game itself.
- Start Nintendo Switch Sports after updating it.
- Open the game’s Play with Friends option.
- Choose the option to create a room or join an existing room, following the current on-screen prompts.
- If you are hosting, wait for the other player or players to appear in the room, then select Basketball when the game presents the available sports and match options.
- If you are joining, use the host’s friend-room invitation or Room ID, then follow the prompts to enter the Basketball session.
- Confirm each player’s controller and play position when the game asks, and begin the match.
Nintendo’s published materials confirm that Basketball is available in Play with Friends, but they do not publish a separate Basketball-specific lobby walkthrough or a fixed Basketball player-limit table. Menu wording and available match choices can change with later software updates, so rely on the prompts in the current version rather than a remembered sequence from another sport.
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What each player should do before joining
Have everyone sign in to the Nintendo Account they intend to use before opening the room. Check the Nintendo Switch Online status for each remote player, connect each console to the internet and keep the Joy-Con charged and paired. These checks prevent a common situation in which the host can create a room but a guest cannot complete the join process because the guest is using an account without online access or an unsupported controller.
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Inviting someone who is not on your Switch friends list
Version 1.5.0 documents a Room ID option in Play with Friends. This is useful when the other player is not already a Nintendo Friend.
Host: create and share a Room ID
- Open Play with Friends and choose the option to create a room.
- Enable the Room ID or Invite Anyone via ID option when the room-creation screen offers it.
- Note the Room ID shown by the game.
- Send that ID to the people you want to invite using your normal messaging method.
- Keep the room open while they join, then select Basketball and continue through the game’s prompts.
Guest: join with the ID
- Open Play with Friends.
- Select Join Room.
- Press + when the game asks for the room information.
- Enter the host’s Room ID exactly as displayed.
- Confirm the room and wait for the host to start the Basketball session.
Read the digits back to the host before submitting if you are communicating by voice or text. A single mistyped character can send you to an invalid room, while an expired or closed room requires the host to create another ID. The current game screen, rather than a generic Switch invitation notification, determines when the guest is actually in the room.
A Room ID is a game-room method, not a system-level invitation from the HOME Menu. Nintendo’s support article on invitations explains that the Switch User Page menu does not directly invite a friend into a particular game session; the supported title must provide the joining flow.
For that distinction, see Can I invite friends to join my game on Nintendo Switch?.
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Do both players need Nintendo Switch Online?
For ordinary internet-based Play with Friends sessions, yes. Nintendo states that online features require Nintendo Switch Online, a Nintendo Account and internet access. Plan on every person connecting from a separate console having access to an active membership. A family membership can cover eligible accounts under Nintendo’s membership rules, but the game still requires each participant to use a Nintendo Account on their console.
The membership requirement is different from local play. Players sharing one console can use a supported local mode without using an internet friend room, while players connecting from separate locations use the online service. Nintendo’s FAQ explains the membership requirement and the limits of the no-membership trial; the trial against computer opponents is not a substitute for inviting a remote friend.
Voice chat while you play
Nintendo says voice chat for Play with Friends is available through the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app. The people in the Basketball room still need Nintendo Switch Online memberships to play online and use that app.
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- Install and sign in to the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app.
- Use the app’s supported voice-chat function for the Play with Friends session.
- Make sure participating Nintendo Accounts meet Nintendo’s age and parental-control requirements.
Nintendo Accounts belonging to children under 13 cannot use voice chat. Nintendo also says Nintendo Switch 2 supports GameChat with friends while playing. The available chat method therefore depends on the console, account age and Nintendo’s current service settings; the game itself does not remove those restrictions. If chat is unnecessary, players can communicate through another service, but that does not replace the Nintendo requirements for entering the online game.
Internet Play with Friends versus LAN Play
LAN Play is a separate, optional mode. It is not required for friends connecting over the internet. LAN Play links multiple consoles to the same shared wired router, while Play with Friends is intended for remote internet sessions.
| Feature | Play with Friends over the internet | LAN Play |
|---|---|---|
| Where players are | Players can be in different locations, connected through the internet. | Consoles are connected to one shared wired router. |
| How the room is made | Use the in-game Play with Friends room flow; a Room ID can invite people who are not Nintendo Friends. | Use the LAN Play option revealed by the special input on the title screen through Play with Friends. |
| Network equipment | Internet access for each console. | Listed game copies, a wired router, Ethernet cables, docks where applicable, and possibly a networking switch or LAN adapter, depending on the equipment. |
| Published capacity | Nintendo’s cited materials do not provide a Basketball-specific online lobby limit. | Up to four consoles, with up to two players per console, for up to eight total participants. The number who can play simultaneously varies by sport. |
To use LAN Play, place the consoles on the same wired network and follow Nintendo’s LAN instructions to expose the LAN option from the Play with Friends title screen. Each console needs the game, and docked systems may need Ethernet cabling or a LAN adapter. A networking switch can be needed when the router does not provide enough wired ports. This hardware is unnecessary for ordinary online friend play.
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Nintendo’s detailed LAN instructions are in How to Use the LAN Play Feature of Nintendo Switch Sports. The eight-person figure applies to the LAN arrangement Nintendo describes, not automatically to every Basketball internet room.
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The Basketball option is missing
- Close the game and check for a software update from the HOME Menu: highlight the title, press + or −, select Software Update, then Via the Internet.
- Confirm that the update completed and restart the game.
- Verify that you are entering Play with Friends, not a mode intended only for global matchmaking or local play.
- Check every console in the group; one unupdated copy can prevent that player from using the same online feature set.
A friend cannot join the room
- Check that both consoles have internet access.
- Confirm that each player is signed in to the intended Nintendo Account.
- Confirm active Nintendo Switch Online memberships for online participants.
- If the guest is not a Nintendo Friend, create a room with the Room ID option and have the guest select Join Room, press + and enter the ID.
- Compare the entered ID with the host’s display and create a new room if the original room was closed.
- Have both players leave and re-enter the in-game room if the first join attempt fails; do not rely on a HOME Menu invitation to launch the session.
Controllers are not accepted
- Switch to TV Mode, which Nintendo recommends for the game.
- Pair Joy-Con and follow the game’s on-screen controller prompts.
- Do not assume a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller will work: Nintendo’s FAQ says Pro Controllers are not supported.
- For multiple players on one console, verify each controller before starting the room.
Voice chat does not work
- Check that the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app is installed and signed in.
- Confirm the player has the required Nintendo Switch Online membership.
- Check account age and parental-control settings; Nintendo Accounts under 13 cannot use voice chat.
- If using Nintendo Switch 2, check whether GameChat is available for the friends and account configuration in use.
What the official information does—and does not—specify
Nintendo clearly establishes that Basketball works in Play Globally, Play Locally and Play with Friends, and that version 1.5.0 added the sport. It also documents the update path, online-service requirements, Room ID invitations, controller compatibility, TV Mode recommendation and voice-chat options.
The published material does not establish a single Basketball-specific lobby sequence beyond the general Play with Friends and Room ID flow. It also does not state an exact Basketball match format or a Basketball-specific maximum number of online players. Those details may be displayed dynamically by the current game software. Use the in-game prompts for the final room and match choices instead of assuming that the LAN maximum or another sport’s rules apply to Basketball online.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Quick pre-session checklist
- Game: Nintendo Switch Sports is installed and updated.
- Sport: Basketball appears in the current Play with Friends options.
- Accounts: Every remote player is signed in to a Nintendo Account.
- Membership: Every remote player has Nintendo Switch Online access.
- Network: Each console has a working internet connection.
- Hardware: The consoles are being used in TV Mode with supported Joy-Con controllers.
- Room: The host has created a Play with Friends room, and any Room ID has been copied accurately.
- Chat: Participants who want voice chat have the Nintendo Switch Online app, or are using the supported Nintendo Switch 2 GameChat setup.
- Fallback: If remote play is unnecessary, players on one console can choose a supported local mode instead of creating an online room.
Bottom line
Nintendo Switch Sports Basketball can be played online with friends. Update the game, open Play with Friends, create or join the in-game room, and use a Room ID when inviting someone who is not on your Nintendo friends list. Online participants need Nintendo Accounts, Nintendo Switch Online access, internet connections and supported Joy-Con hardware in TV Mode. LAN Play is a separate wired option for consoles on one router, not a requirement for normal online friend sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you play Nintendo Switch Sports basketball online with friends?
Yes. Basketball is available in Play with Friends, Play Globally and Play Locally. Update to the software that includes Basketball, then create or join a Play with Friends room. Remote players need Nintendo Accounts, Nintendo Switch Online access and internet connections.
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How do I play basketball with friends on Nintendo Switch Sports?
Update the game from the HOME Menu, start it, open Play with Friends and use the in-game option to create or join a room. Follow the current prompts to select Basketball and confirm controllers. Nintendo does not publish a separate fixed Basketball lobby sequence, so the on-screen instructions are authoritative.
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Do both players need Nintendo Switch Online?
For separate consoles connecting over the internet, every participant needs access to an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, a Nintendo Account and internet service. A no-membership Play Globally trial against computer opponents is not a friend lobby.
Can I invite someone who is not on my Switch friends list?
Yes. In Play with Friends, the host can enable Room ID or Invite Anyone via ID, share the displayed ID, and keep the room open. The guest chooses Join Room, presses + when prompted and enters the ID.
Can I invite friends from the Switch HOME Menu?
Nintendo’s general guidance says invitations and joining are handled inside a supported game. Use Nintendo Switch Sports’ Play with Friends room flow rather than expecting the HOME Menu User Page to launch a Basketball session.
Does Nintendo Switch Sports support handheld play or Pro Controllers?
No. Nintendo says the game does not support Handheld Mode, recommends TV Mode, supports Joy-Con and does not support Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers. Follow the game’s controller prompts for the selected Basketball setup.
How many people can play through LAN Play?
Nintendo’s LAN guide describes up to four consoles, with up to two players per console, for up to eight total participants. The number who can play simultaneously varies by sport. This limit applies to the separate wired LAN arrangement, not automatically to an internet Basketball room.
How does voice chat work for Basketball sessions?
Play with Friends voice chat is available through the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app, and the players using it need Nintendo Switch Online memberships. Accounts belonging to children under 13 cannot use voice chat. Nintendo Switch 2 also supports GameChat with friends, subject to the console and account settings.
The Bottom Line
Yes—update Nintendo Switch Sports, open Play with Friends, and create or join the Basketball room. Remote players need Nintendo Accounts, Nintendo Switch Online access, internet connections and supported Joy-Con controllers in TV Mode. Use a Room ID for guests who are not Nintendo Friends; LAN Play is an optional wired alternative.
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