A Festival of Basketball
The Olympic 3X3 competition will expand to twenty‑four teams, twelve per gender, marking a fifty‑percent increase over the sixteen‑team field that contested Paris 2024. This growth is not merely numerical; it reflects the sport’s surging popularity across all five FIBA regions and the desire to showcase a broader spectrum of basketball talent on the world stage.
To accommodate the larger roster, the qualification system has been reshaped. The Federation Ranking window now stretches over twenty‑four months, integrating performances from the FIBA 3X3 Pro Circuit, Cup competitions and the Women’s Series. Consequently, four Olympic Qualifying Tournaments will be staged in 2028, with two of them embedded in the Olympic Q‑Series in Tokyo and Shanghai, providing a clear pathway for nations to secure their spots.
Venue and Vibe
The competition will be held at Valley Complex 3 in the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, a temporary outdoor venue designed to amplify the festival atmosphere that has become synonymous with 3X3. Music, street culture and interactive fan zones will accompany the games, appealing especially to younger audiences who experience the sport through digital platforms.
Alex Sanchez, FIBA’s 3X3 director, has highlighted how the digital audience and urban, festival‑style settings are driving the sport’s expansion. The blend of elite competition with cultural elements creates a unique environment that differentiates 3X3 from traditional basketball formats.
Future Pathways
The Youth Nations League now spans more than seventy countries, serving as the engine that feeds both the professional circuit and grassroots development. Meanwhile, Shanghai will host the Women’s Series Final through 2028, cementing its role as a key hub in the sport’s professional calendar and underscoring the growing importance of Asia in the 3X3 ecosystem.