The world’s best young 3×3 athletes will descend on the court in Wuhan, China, with Australia set to feature in both the men’s and women’s tournaments from September 15-19. 

But for the Gangurrus U23’s, this World Cup is more than just another international tournament. 

With Australia’s senior 3×3 programs continuing to establish themselves among the world’s best, the next generation now has its opportunity to make a statement of its own. 

The Gangurrus U23 men enter the tournament as the 19th seed, while the women sit 20th, placing both teams among the underdogs heading into the competition. 

Yet, with eight prospects eager for success the Gangurrus U23’s will be looking to defy the rankings and make a mark on the international stage. 

The men will face an immediate test, opening their campaign against 11th-seeded Poland before taking on sixth-seeded France later that day. 

Their pool campaign will then continue against 14th-seeded Kenya before a potentially decisive clash with third-seeded Algeria. 

With limited room for error, the squad featuring Griffin Biwer, Devan Craig, William Mahoney and Keegan Phillips will aim to put their underdog status to the test. 

Meanwhile, the U23 women face a similar daunting path. 

Tayla Brazel, Carla Pittman, Sophie Taylor and Catelyn Van Es will open their campaign against fifth-seeded Japan before taking on Kenya, 13th-seeded Slovenia and fourth-seeded United States. 

With the world’s best U23 3×3 players gathered in Wuhan, the tournament provides an opportunity for Australia’s U23’s to take the next step towards the senior international stage. 

3X3 Gangurrus U23 Men’s Squad
Griffin Biwer	William Mahoney
Devan Craig	Keegan Phillips
Coach: Shane McDonald
3×3 Gangurrus U23 Women’s Squad
Tayla Brazel	Sophie Taylor
Carla Pitman	Catelyn Van Es
Coach: Hannah Lowe

 

Schedule: Access the full FIBA 3X3 U23 World Cup Fixture here. 

 

Broadcast:  

Watch every game LIVE via the FIBA 3X3 YouTube channel here. 

ANTWERP (Belgium) – France could hardly have asked for a better way to close their FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series 2026 campaign. After a season without a stop victory, the French saved their biggest statement for the final event, winning the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Project Redwings Shanghai Final 2026 behind a starring performance from Laetitia Guapo. Now, with the Women’s Series banner secured, France turn their attention to a very different challenge: the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup Crelan 2026 and another shot at continental glory.

Shanghai was significant not only because of the result, but because of the timing. France found their best form when the Women’s Series season reached its conclusion, with Guapo named Final MVP and once again showing why she is regarded as the engine behind the French offense. Her ability to dictate tempo, create opportunities and put pressure on defenses gives France a natural offensive focal point heading into Antwerp.

Now, the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup offers a clean slate. The opposition will be national teams rather than the club-based lineups of the Women’s Series, and France will have to reproduce that level of execution in a more compact tournament where every possession can carry greater weight.

They arrive with plenty of continental pedigree, of course. France have already won three FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup titles, and Antwerp presents an opportunity to make it four. That history brings experience of the pressure that comes with short, high-stakes national-team competitions, which is an important asset as the French look to turn their late-season form into another major triumph.

The road begins in Pool C alongside Czechia and Sweden. Czechia should provide a particularly intriguing early test. Note that France and Czechia already crossed paths at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026, when France narrowly prevailed 10-9 in the Play-In Round. Sweden complete a pool that leaves little room for a slow start, making France’s opening games every bit as important as the knockout rounds that follow.

Guapo will naturally be central to France’s ambitions. Arriving as the Shanghai Final MVP and one of the most in-form players in the field, she gives France a player capable of changing the rhythm of a game in an instant. Also arriving in Antwerp from Shanghai are Marie Mané and Marie-Eve Paget. Sixtine Macquet rounds out their roster in Antwerp.

There is plenty at stake beyond another medal. The FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup is Europe’s premier national-team 3×3 basketball competition, with the 2026 champions also qualifying for the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2027 and FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup 2027.

So, can France carry the confidence and form that delivered Women’s Series glory in Shanghai into Antwerp and turn it into a fourth Europe Cup crown?

The answer starts in Pool C.

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

Return of the champion

The 2025 season was a write-off for Reichert, lost entirely to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Now, at last, she’s playing again.

“It was a really tough year, not being able to play at all in 2025,” Reichert told Olympics.com in Warsaw. “But I’m just super happy and proud to be back now. It’s so much fun playing again, playing 3×3 — I’m trying to enjoy every second.”

Germany arrive in Poland with a refreshed roster from the 2024 squad. Britta Daub, Ama Degbeon, and Laura Zolper make up the squad alongside Reichert, with Degbeon and Zopler the sole members to have played at last year’s World Cup, where Germany finished 11th.

“It makes me even more proud to keep representing Germany, and I’m trying to win as many more games as possible,” Reichert said. “We’re a new squad now, a new team, but the goal is to win another medal here at the World Cup.”