The first FIBA NXT Leaders Program was one that combined a wealth of online learning opportunities with in-person gatherings in Doha, Miami, and Geneva.

“We are thrilled to have concluded this first program and to have taken these successful first steps in supporting and inspiring so many future leaders,” stated Michal Konecny, Head of National Federations at FIBA.

“So many people have contributed to both the design and the delivery of this ambitious new program, which has offered so many first-class learning opportunities.

“We are particularly grateful to the many partner organizations who have supported it by offering valuable time and access for participants to develop their knowledge and skills. Being able to have the in-person sessions in Doha, Miami and Geneva was such a big part of the program and its success.

“Finally and most importantly, we congratulate the first-ever participants on their graduation. We wish them luck in their respective careers and hope many of them will take their experiences from this FIBA NXT Leaders Program and use them to help continue the growth of the sport globally.”

Following the success of the first edition, preparations are already underway for the second FIBA NXT Leaders Program, reflecting FIBA’s continued commitment to developing leadership talent across the global basketball community. 

FIBA

Women’s National Team Calendar 2027-2031

The Central Board approved the Women’s National Team Calendar 2027-2031, following the recommendations of the Competitions Commission and a consultation round with FIBA Regional Offices.

In addition to the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2030 dates decided last year (November 26 to December 8, 2030), the newly approved calendar includes the following dates:

• FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2030 Qualifying Tournaments: March 10-20, 2030

• FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2030 Pre-Qualifying Tournaments: August 21-28, 2028

• FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments: February 6 -16, 2028

• Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament Los Angeles 2028: July 12-30, 2028

The Central Board also ratified scheduling the four FIBA Women’s Continental Cups of 2029 in June-July of that year, and the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2031 in December of that year.

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027

The Central Board agreed to limit to two the number of warm-up games during Window 4 of the Qualifiers.

Concerning the current situation in the Middle East, the FIBA Central Board received a comprehensive report by the Organizing Committee of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027. With 16 months to go, preparations remain well on track and FIBA is confident that a safe, secure and very successful event can take place in Qatar next year.

Olympic Games 2028

The Central Board was presented with a status update on the ongoing preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games, in Los Angeles, following the visit of a FIBA delegation to the Intuit Dome and nearby facilities during the NBA All-Star Game last February.

FIBA U17 World Cups

3×3

The Central Board was given updates on the 3×3 National Team competitions, highlighting the success of the 2026 Champions Cup in Bangkok and the upcoming FIBA 3×3 World Cup scheduled in Warsaw, Poland, from June 1-7.

On the Professional Circuit side, a recap of the 2025 season of the World Tour and its Qualifiers which included events in 38 host cities in 22 territories, alongside a 15-event Women’s Series. An outlook for the 2026 season, which will start in Utsunomiya on April 25-26, was provided during the meeting.

Empower National Federations

FIBA Plus projects were delivered in six countries (Uzbekistan, Jordan, Bhutan, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Solomon Islands) during the first quarter of 2026. Meanwhile pilot projects for new courses named ‘Start Coaching’ and aimed at schoolteachers will launch in Bulgaria and India in late April, in collaboration with the International School Sport Federation.

Preparations have begun for the FIBA Plus Youth Athlete Development Camps (3×3), which was successfully launched last year. In 2026, the camps will take place in Americas (Caribbean – George Town, Cayman Islands), in Africa (Dakar, Senegal), in Oceania (Gold Coast, Australia) and in Central Asia.

The Board was also informed of the successful launch of the FIBA Academy Leaders Program, which got underway with 25 participants and has already held two on-site sessions, in Doha and Miami. The next on-site session is set to take place in Geneva in August, whilst online sessions are ongoing.

Gender Eligibility

Following the issuance of the IOC policy on the protection of the female category, the Central Board confirmed that FIBA will follow the IOC policy for Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games, awaiting further guidance from the IOC on the practical, legal, and operational aspects of implementation.

Regarding FIBA Competitions, in its December 2024 meeting the FIBA Central Board decided to extend the review process for adopting a formal transgender eligibility policy by two years.

During this period, FIBA is collecting basketball-specific data and transgender-related evidence to further evaluate the matter. A FIBA Gender Eligibility Committee, composed of medical and legal experts, is set to report back to the Central Board with recommendations at the start of 2027. Until then, FIBA is not entertaining any transgender eligibility requests.

Other Matters

Following the recommendation of the IOC to lift restrictions on the participation of the Russian and Belarusian athletes in youth competitions, Russia and Belarus have received an exceptional authorization to register U21 teams in conferences of the FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League, to be played in China and Malaysia.

The Central Board approved the preservation of the current status of Russian and Belarusian teams for all other competitions, including the Youth EuroBaskets 2026, until the next Executive Committee meeting, scheduled for September 2026.