ANTWERP (Belgium) – Europe’s best 3×3 basketball national teams are heading to Antwerp. From Olympic and World Cup champions to defending Europe Cup winners and rising contenders, the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup Crelan 2026 has all the ingredients for another unforgettable three days of action.

Here’s everything you need to know before the action gets underway.

Where is the event?

The FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup Crelan 2026 heads to Groenplaats, right in the heart of Antwerp, Belgium.

A dedicated 3×3 basketball venue with a capacity of 1,500 spectators will sit at the European Championship Arena, while the surrounding Public Plaza will feature partner activations, food, drinks and activities for fans.

There will also be a warm-up court at Grote Markt, around four minutes from the main arena, bringing even more 3×3 basketball activity into the city center.

Of course, Antwerp is no stranger to major 3×3 basketball events. The city hosted the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2022, where Serbia won the men’s title and France claimed women’s gold.

When is it?

The tournament runs from September 11-13.

Friday, September 11 – Pool Games

Saturday, September 12 – Pool Games

Sunday, September 13 – Knockout Games & Finals

Three days. 24 national teams. One European title in each category.

Who are the teams?

The tournament brings together 12 men’s and 12 women’s national teams.

The men’s field features Serbia, Netherlands, Lithuania, France, Germany, Latvia, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland and Estonia.

The women’s field features Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Slovenia, Sweden and Belgium.

The field includes Olympic champions, World Cup winners, Europe Cup champions and some of the biggest stars from the FIBA 3×3 World Tour and Women’s Series.

Pools

Men

Pool A: Serbia, Belgium, Switzerland
Pool B: Netherlands, Spain, Italy
Pool C: Lithuania, Latvia, Ireland
Pool D: France, Germany, Estonia

Pool C immediately stands out, with defending Europe Cup champions Lithuania facing reigning FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026 champions Latvia. That will be a rematch of last year’s Europe Cup Final. Pool B also brings together Paris 2024 Olympic champions Netherlands and FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2025 winners Spain, while Serbia-Belgium renews the World Tour rivalry between Strahinja Stojačić and Dennis Donkor.

Women

Pool A: Netherlands, Ukraine, Azerbaijan
Pool B: Spain, Hungary, Slovenia
Pool C: France, Czechia, Sweden
Pool D: Germany, Poland, Belgium

The Netherlands-Azerbaijan matchup is a rematch of last year’s Europe Cup Final, while Spain-Hungary brings back memories of Hungary’s surprise FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026 win over the Spanish.

How does the competition work?

The same format applies to both the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The 12 teams are split into four pools of three, with every team playing the other two teams in their pool. The top two teams from each pool advance to the Quarter-Finals, followed by the Semi-Finals and Final. The losing Semi-Finalists then meet for the bronze medal.

With only three teams per pool, every game matters. One defeat can dramatically change a team’s route to the knockout rounds.

Who won last year?

Lithuania claimed the men’s title at the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup 2025 in Copenhagen, defeating Latvia in the Final, while Netherlands captured the women’s crown after beating Azerbaijan.

Both defending champions return in Antwerp with their titles on the line. Lithuania will immediately face a huge challenge against Latvia, who eliminated them in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026 Quarter-Finals. On the women’s side, the Netherlands will look to bounce back from losing their FIBA 3×3 World Cup crown and disappointing at the recent FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Project Redwings Shanghai Final. They could be the first back-to-back Europe Cup women’s champions since France did it from 2018 to 2019.

Which players should you watch?

There is no shortage of star power in Antwerp.

In the Men’s Tournament, world No.1 Strahinja Stojačić leads Serbia, while Olympic champion Worthy de Jong anchors the Netherlands. Defending Europe Cup MVP Ignas Vaitkus returns for Lithuania, while Olympic, World Cup and Europe Cup champion Kārlis Lasmanis leads Latvia. France’s Hugo Suhard, Germany’s Fabian Giessmann, Spain’s Diego De Blas and home favorite Dennis Donkor are also among the names to watch.

On the Women’s side of things, weigning Europe Cup MVP Noortje Driessen headlines the Netherlands, with Spain’s Gracia Alonso de Armiño leading a new generation. France’s Laetitia Guapo arrives fresh from winning the Women’s Series Shanghai Final and its MVP award, while Azerbaijan’s Alexandra Mollenhauer, Germany’s Ama Degbeon, Poland’s Aleksandra Zięmborska, Czechia’s Karolína Sotolová and Hungary’s Klaudia Papp add plenty of firepower.

Why does the Europe Cup matter?

The FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup is more than a battle for continental bragging rights. It is Europe’s flagship national-team 3×3 basketball competition, bringing together some of the deepest talent in the discipline.

And the stakes extend beyond Antwerp: the men’s and women’s champions will qualify for both the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2027 and FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup 2027.

How can you follow?

Fans around the world can follow the action through the official FIBA 3×3 YouTube channel, Olympic Channel and Unbeaten, alongside an extensive network of national broadcast partners.

Follow @FIBA3x3 across social media for schedules, results, highlights and behind-the-scenes coverage throughout the tournament.

The field in Antwerp is loaded, and the stakes are as high as they can be. Groenplaats is ready for three days of elite 3×3 basketball, and Europe is ready to crown its champions.

Stay Connected

Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3×3 Cups tournaments throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official FIBA 3×3 website, where you can find the latest news, star players and everything you need to know. Fans can also keep track of the Event Calendar and the latest FIBA 3×3 Individual and Federation Rankings as teams and players continue their push toward the season finale.

Want to learn more about 3×3 basketball? Explore the official FIBA 3×3 Rules to understand the unique fast-paced format of the game, or discover the FIBA 3×3 Competition Structure to see how the discipline’s global pathway connects grassroots events, professional tours and world-class international competitions.

FIBA

LOS ANGELES – Senior Eric Dailey Jr. has been named by USA Basketball to the roster for the upcoming FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup, to take place from Sept. 15-19 in Wuhan, China.

Dailey Jr. helped lead the USA 3×3 Men’s Nations League team to a perfect 18-0 record in late June and early July this summer at a qualifying event for the upcoming World Cup. The men’s team that will compete next week in China includes two NCAA Division I players (including Dailey Jr.) and two professional players.

The USA 3×3 U23 Men’s National Team will be led by head coach Tavaras Hardy, who recently served as head coach of the USA 3×3 Men’s Nations League Team that finished in first place at the FIBA 3×3 Nations League Americas North Conference. In addition to Dailey Jr., the roster includes Mark Armstrong (professional player), Alex Fudge (professional player) and CJ Gunn (last played at DePaul).

Dailey Jr. and his American teammates amassed an 18-0 record over a week-long stretch in Chile, competing at the 3×3 Nations League Americas North Conference. Staged in Ñuñoa, Chile, the 3×3 circuit saw the United States men’s program post an 18-0 record while the United States’ women’s team went 16-1. Dailey Jr. and Gunn were teammates in Chile earlier this summer. Dailey Jr. has been a member of the USA Basketball family since 2019 and has gold medals from the 2021 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup and 2022 FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup.

The USA men will begin Pool D competition on Sept. 16 against Korea at 2:30 a.m. PT (5:30 a.m. ET), Argentina at 5 a.m. PT (8 a.m. ET) and China at 6:15 a.m. PT (9:15 a.m. ET). Pool play will conclude on Sept. 18 against Lithuania at 3:45 a.m. PT (6:45 a.m. ET).

Following pool play, the top two teams from each of the four five-team pools will advance to the quarterfinals on Sept. 19.

The 2026 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup will stream live on YouTube.com/FIBA3x3.

Launched in 2018, the men’s and women’s FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup pits the best under-23 3×3 talent against one another to fight for a chance at winning gold. The 2026 edition will be the seventh event since its inception. The USA men are two-time 3×3 U23 medalists, taking gold in 2023 and silver in 2024.

The 3×3 game is played on a half court with a 10-minute clock and a 12-second shot clock. The first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation, is the winner.

Dailey Jr. has played in 68 games for UCLA over the past two seasons, after having excelled as a freshman in 2023-24 at Oklahoma State. Entering the upcoming college season, Dailey Jr. has averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in two seasons at UCLA. He will enter the 2026-27 season as one of six returning student-athletes for the Bruins.