Dubai will once again take centre stage in international sport with its inclusion in the FIBA 3×3 World Tour 2026 calendar. The emirate will host a Masters tournament on November 7 and 8, one of the final major events of the season before the Final takes place in Rio de Janeiro in December. The arrival of one of the world’s most recognised cities on the circuit represents a new stop for a global competition that has brought 3×3 basketball to different continents and venues throughout the year.
The event will bring together some of the discipline’s best teams and players, with ranking points and prize money at stake at a decisive moment in the season. But the World Tour’s presence in Dubai also reflects a long-term commitment: both parties have established a three-year partnership, securing the Masters event through 2028. For a city accustomed to hosting major events, 3×3 basketball now represents a new opportunity to connect elite sport with entertainment and future generations.
A new stop for the world’s 3×3 basketball elite
The FIBA 3×3 World Tour began its 2026 journey in Utsunomiya, Japan, on April 25 and 26, launching a season that has travelled across different regions and cities around the world. Each stop has brought its own identity to a global competition that has turned 3×3 basketball into much more than a variation of the traditional game. Its fast pace, the intensity of every possession and the closeness between players and fans have helped create a sporting experience with its own distinctive character.
In Dubai, fans will have the opportunity to watch world and European champions, Olympic athletes and some of the world’s leading teams in action. The city will host the tournament at a particularly important stage of the calendar, when every result can influence the standings and teams’ ambitions heading into the end of the season. The arrival of the Masters before the Final in Rio de Janeiro makes the emirate a key stop in the decisive stretch of the season, where competitive pressure and entertainment increasingly go hand in hand.
Dubai bets on sport as part of its international vision
The addition of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour is also linked to Dubai’s strategy to further consolidate its position as a host of major sporting events. Its infrastructure, organisational capacity and experience in international events have enabled the emirate to build an increasingly prominent presence on the global calendar. For FIBA 3×3 officials, the city represents a destination capable of combining sport, tourism, entertainment and a vision for the future that aligns with the discipline’s continued growth.
From the Dubai Sports Council, the arrival of the tournament is also part of the ambitions of the Dubai Sports Strategy 2033, which seeks to strengthen sporting development and create new opportunities for local talent. The presence of the world’s best players can become a close source of inspiration for those beginning to build their own path in basketball, connecting the local community with the highest level of 3×3 competition. Over the next three years, the Masters will open up a new space in the city’s sporting calendar, while 3×3 basketball continues to expand its presence across some of the world’s most important stages.
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