The return of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour to Ulaanbaatar confirmed Mongolia’s growing role on the international 3×3 map. Over the course of a week, the Mongolian capital brought together the FIBA 3×3 Sukhbaatar Challenger, the Women’s Series Ulaanbaatar and the World Tour Ulaanbaatar at Sukhbaatar Square, in a format that once again showed 3×3’s ability to combine competition, city, crowds and international calendar in the same urban space.
Liman became the first team to win two FIBA 3×3 World Tour stops in 2026 after beating Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy 17-15 in an overtime Final. The Serbian side added the Ulaanbaatar title to the one it had already claimed at the Utsunomiya Opener, strengthening its position as one of the reference points on the circuit in a season shaped by growing competition between established teams, emerging projects and high-impact new venues.
Mongolia, a venue with its own identity
Beyond the result, Ulaanbaatar once again functioned as one of the most recognisable stages in global 3×3. The concentration of several competitions in the same week reinforced the idea of an urban sports festival, with constant crowds at Sukhbaatar Square and a particularly intense response whenever the local teams took the court. The performance of Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy strengthened that local dimension. The host team reached the Final after eliminating top seed Ub and beating Toulouse in the Semi-Finals. Although the title slipped away again at home, it showed it could compete against the leading structures of the World Tour.
Liman, for its part, did not have an easy road to the title. The Serbian team lost to Toulouse in the pool stage and advanced as runner-up from Pool B, but responded in the knockout rounds with wins over Shanghai, DeQing and Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy. The victory also brought continuity, as the team had also won World Tour Ulaanbaatar in 2025.
Stefan Milivojevic was named tournament MVP after leading Liman in the decisive moments. He finished second in points and player value, led the competition in highlights and drives, and settled the Final with two offensive putbacks converted in overtime. His performance carried added value: it was his first World Tour title since 2023, when he won with Partizan, and it brought one of the circuit’s most dynamic players back to the forefront.
China, Germany and the depth of the circuit
The Ulaanbaatar stop also confirmed the progress of the Chinese teams. DeQing won Pool A, with a notable victory over Ub, before falling to Liman in the Semi-Finals. Shanghai, led by Karlis Lasmanis, also showed signs of growth by winning its group and reaching the Quarter-Finals. Although neither team made the Final, their performance strengthens China’s presence in the competitive structure of the World Tour.
That depth was also visible at the FIBA 3×3 La Réunion Challenger 2026, where Baskets Bonn won the title after beating Antwerp 21-20 with a buzzer-beater from Fabian Giessmann. The German team claimed its second Challenger title of the season, after Manila, and added another significant result following its victory at the World Tour Amsterdam. Baskets Bonn, Vienna and Bordeaux also secured tickets to the World Tour Lausanne, while Antwerp had already pre-qualified.
The Women’s Series expands the map
The growth of 3×3 is also reflected in the Women’s Series. In Ulaanbaatar, the competition reached its 100th edition with a home victory for Ulaanbaatar Amazons over Germany, 19-18. The win, achieved in front of their own fans after an unbeaten campaign, gave Mongolia another moment of high symbolic value in a week in which the country once again placed itself at the centre of the international 3×3 scene.
The continuity of the women’s calendar was also reinforced in Poitiers, where Australia won its second FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series 2026 title after beating Canada 20-19 in overtime. Emma Clarke was named MVP after leading Australia in a tournament that also highlighted Canada’s competitive growth, the run of Ottawa and the stories of Egypt and Paris Région IDF, two teams that advanced from qualifying to the Quarter-Finals.
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