The fourth edition of the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup will be staged in Lublin, Poland in 2023, FIBA and the Polish Basketball Association (PZKosz) announced at a press conference on December 16, 2021.
“It is a very important day for FIBA, Polish basketball, the region, and the city,” FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis said. “It is a great pleasure for us to once again cooperate with an experienced partner like PZKosz on such a large event. Seven of our Tokyo 2020 Olympic medalists shined at this event in the past. This is where the people of Lublin and the fans worldwide will discover the men and women’s stars of tomorrow”
Poland has become a 3×3 powerhouse in the last few years. The men’s national team won a bronze at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2019 and the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup 2021 and represented the country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The women’s national team ranked third this year at the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series. At the U23 level, the men won gold and the women bronze at the FIBA 3×3 U23 Nations League.
“3×3 basketball is becoming more and more popular in Poland,” PZKosz President Radosław Piesiewicz said. “We have already had the first great successes and ideas for development, which we will implement in the coming season. New female and male players are added to the national teams – at various levels. Now is the time for the next step, which is the organization of an international event of the highest rank. I am convinced that the U23 World Cup will be an additional impulse to increase interest in 3×3 basketball. We are also counting on the effective victories of our teams.”
The fourth edition of the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup will take place in Lublin while the city is the European Youth Capital. The U23 World Cup is a yearly competition, and the third edition will be organized in 2022 at a location to be confirmed. Japan’s women and Russia’s men are the defending champions.
###
Exciting, urban, and innovative, 3×3 is inspired by several forms of street ball played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport. Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court.
It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefited from the launch of a yearly city-based FIBA 3×3 World Tour and national-team FIBA 3×3 World & Continental Cups.
On July 24, 2021, 3×3 made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games.
Wilson is the Global Ball and Apparel Partner and Tissot the Official Timekeeper of FIBA 3×3.
FIBA 3×3 events are played on Enlio floors with Wilson balls, Schelde backstops, and the Magic Sky canopy system.
