When the International Basketball Federation -FIBA- decided in 2010 to develop 3×3 as an independent discipline, the goal was to create a faster, more urban and easier-to-organise version of basketball. Seven years later, the International Olympic Committee -IOC- officially recognised the format, and it made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Since then, half-court basketball has become the clearest example of a broader trend spreading across team sports: versions with fewer players, shorter matches and rules designed to increase the pace of play and make competitions easier to consume.

This shift is not driven solely by sporting considerations. In a context where leisure time is increasingly limited and competition for public attention is growing, federations and organisers are looking for formats capable of delivering intense, easy-to-follow matches that can adapt to different settings. Reducing the number of players, shortening match duration or shrinking the playing area allows competitions to be staged in urban spaces, generates more dynamic digital content and opens the door to new participants.

3×3: the short format that paved the way

The growth of 3×3 shows how a reduced version of a sport can evolve into a discipline with its own identity. The FIBA 3×3 World Tour in 2025 took place in 38 cities across 22 territories, with broadcast coverage in more than 200 territories worldwide. Digitally, the circuit generated more than one billion impressions, while the social media ecosystem of FIBA 3×3 grew from 7.3 million followers in 2024 to 10 million in 2025, a 37% increase. These figures illustrate how the half-court format, played with three players per team, has developed into a distinct sporting product within the wider basketball ecosystem.

The phenomenon is not limited to basketball. World Aquatics will introduce water polo 4×4 in 2026 with the first Water Polo 4×4 Open Championships in Dubrovnik (Croatia). The new format features teams of four players, a smaller field of play and a shorter shot clock, elements designed to accelerate the pace of matches and make the sport easier to stage in urban pools or open-water environments. The governing body presents the format as a complementary discipline to traditional water polo, aimed at expanding the sport’s reach and attracting new audiences.

Fewer players, faster pace: the formula behind the new formats

Beach volleyball is one of the most established examples of this approach within the Olympic programme. Compared with indoor volleyball’s six-player teams, the 2-on-2 format produces faster and more visually engaging matches. Its popularity at the Games is also reflected in attendance figures: during Paris 2024, the beach volleyball tournament attracted around 450,000 spectators, one of the highest totals among Olympic sports.

Another significant case is rugby sevens, the reduced version of traditional rugby union. Olympic since Rio 2016, the format features seven players per team and shorter matches. Its growth in visibility and attendance has been notable: at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the tournament recorded sessions with more than 66,000 spectators inside the stadium and sold over 500,000 tickets during the competition week. At the same time, World Rugby has redesigned the HSBC SVNS competitive structure, expanding the calendar from 10 to 13 tournaments starting in 2026 and introducing a three-division system to strengthen the competitiveness and global reach of the format. The governing body invests around £10 million annually to support the development of rugby sevens and fund team participation in the international circuit.

New disciplines and leagues built around faster rules

Other sports are following a similar path to expand their international presence. Lacrosse Sixes, for example, has become the central format for the sport’s return to the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028. The qualification system for the Games is built around continental competitions and world championships in the reduced format, and around 100 national teams are expected to take part in the qualification cycle.

Flag football, the non-contact version of American football, will also debut at Los Angeles 2028. The Olympic tournament will feature six men’s and six women’s national teams, with matches played in a five-on-five format. The discipline is governed internationally by the International Federation of American Football -IFAF-, which includes 75 national federations, while the most recent World Championship involved 31 nations. Globally, the sport is estimated to have around 20 million players, reflecting its rapid growth.

When sport adapts to the digital era

The expansion of short formats is also visible beyond the Olympic ecosystem. Baseball5, promoted by the World Baseball Softball Confederation -WBSC-, adapts baseball to a five-on-five urban format that can be played without specialised equipment. The federation expanded its World Cups from 12 to 16 teams, and the discipline will be included in the programme of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, strengthening its position in the international multi-sport calendar.

At the same time, new competitions are exploring similar models through digital-first entertainment. The Kings League, founded by Gerard Piqué, has developed a seven-a-side football format with rules designed for streaming platforms and social media consumption. Since its launch in Barcelona in 2023, the competition has expanded to Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia, with plans to grow in the United States and Asia. Its international tournaments have already reached audiences of tens of millions of viewers across digital platforms.