Australia in the women’s competition and New Zealand in the men’s tournament completed flawless runs in Singapore to be crowned champions of the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026, in an edition that delivered more than just the titles. Beyond the final-day results, the competition once again confirmed the growth of 3×3 basketball in Asia and Oceania, with new national teams taking meaningful competitive steps and with an increasingly open regional landscape in the race for medals.

The 2026 edition also reinforced an idea that FIBA has been pushing for years in this discipline: 3×3 is no longer defined only by the traditional powers, but also by the ability of new projects to establish themselves in a short period of time. In Singapore, that evolution was reflected both in the champions and in the teams that reached historic finals, in a tournament that combined hierarchy, renewal and greater competitive depth in both categories.

Australia extends its dynasty and New Zealand knocks out the defending champion

In the women’s draw, Australia once again set the standard and claimed its sixth title in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, although its path was not quite as straightforward as the final outcome might suggest. In the semi-finals, it needed a dramatic comeback against China, sealed by a 21-20 scoreline and a decisive late contribution from Amy Atwell, before defeating the Philippines 18-9 in the final with authority. The individual MVP award went to Kristy Wallace, a reflection of the structural strength of a team once again built on balance, discipline and competitive experience.

In the men’s tournament, New Zealand also completed an unbeaten campaign, with its defining moment coming in the semi-finals when it eliminated defending champion Australia 21-16. From there, the New Zealand side carried that momentum into the final against the Republic of Korea, closing it out 21-15 to lift the title. Te Tuhi Lewis, named tournament MVP, emerged as one of the competition’s standout figures and the clearest symbol of a team that controlled games through tempo, outside shooting and composure in decisive moments.

The Philippines and South Korea make historic strides in Singapore

Beyond the champions, one of the most relevant takeaways from the tournament lies in the teams that broke new ground. The Philippines, in the women’s competition, reached a FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup final for the first time and also secured its first podium finish in tournament history, led by names such as Afril Bernardino and Kacey Dela Rosa. Something similar happened with the Republic of Korea in the men’s bracket. Its place in the final was also unprecedented and carried extra weight because of the way it happened, after overcoming rotation problems and completing a notable rise from the earlier stages to the title game.

China once again showed its consistency with two bronze medals, one in each category. That double podium finish reinforces the idea of continuity in one of the continent’s most solid programmes and adds stability to an ecosystem in which several national teams are now operating much closer to each other competitively than in previous years.

The tournament’s development over the opening days also pointed in the same direction. There were breakthrough moments such as Tonga’s run in the women’s draw, which reached the main draw for the first time, as well as notable campaigns from Malaysia, India and Chinese Taipei. Added to that was the strong showing from Mongolia, which placed both its men’s and women’s teams among the contenders, and the historic win by China’s men over Australia, their first ever victory against that opponent in the history of the tournament.

The Asia Cup strengthens the regional growth of 3×3

The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup has also become a showcase for the international expansion of a discipline that FIBA has turned into one of its strategic products. Born out of streetball culture and first introduced on the international stage at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, 3×3 has since built an annual ecosystem of professional circuits and national-team competitions that culminated in its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.

In that context, what happened in Singapore once again reinforced the value of the Asia Cup as a regional barometer. Australia maintains its dominance in the women’s game, New Zealand gains ground in the men’s competition, and teams such as the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, China and Mongolia are expanding the battle around the podium. More than a simple succession of champions, the 2026 edition left the image of a tournament that is becoming deeper, more diverse and more useful as a measure of the real growth of 3×3 basketball across Asia and Oceania.