Dubai has successfully staged its first-ever FIBA 3x3 World Tour event, welcoming some of the world's top basketball talent to Festival Bay for a weekend of high-energy action, entertainment and dramatic sporting moments.
The inaugural FIBA 3x3 World Tour Dubai concluded on Saturday, with Serbian powerhouse Ub crowned champions following a thrilling 20-19 victory over Germany's Baskets Bonn.
Held at Dubai Festival City, the tournament marked another milestone for the Emirate's growing international sporting calendar, bringing one of basketball's most exciting formats to the city for the first time.
And with a three-year hosting agreement already in place, the World Tour is set to become a regular fixture in Dubai through 2028.
Awesome new addition to Dubai's sporting calendar
The arrival of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour adds another international competition to Dubai's expanding sports portfolio, which already includes major events across golf, tennis, motorsport, padel and basketball.
Staged at Festival Bay, the tournament brought elite international competition into an accessible, entertainment-focused setting, combining world-class basketball with fan and community experiences.
The format itself is perfectly suited to this kind of environment.
Played on a half-court with three players per team, 3x3 basketball features a 12-second shot clock and matches lasting a maximum of 10 minutes, unless a team reaches 21 points first.
The result is a fast-paced, physical and often unpredictable spectacle that has helped the sport build a global following, including its introduction to the Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020.
For Dubai, hosting the World Tour represents another opportunity to connect international sporting competition with the city's wider entertainment and lifestyle offering.
Serbian stars deliver dramatic finale
The weekend's action reached a thrilling conclusion as Ub claimed their fourth World Tour title of the 2026 season.
The Serbian side raced into an early 8-2 lead against Baskets Bonn, only for the Germans to mount a spirited comeback.
Fabian Giessmann and Denzel Agyeman helped Bonn close the gap, with a spectacular Agyeman dunk bringing them within a single point at 15-14.
The contest remained on a knife-edge until the closing moments, but Ub held firm to secure a dramatic 20-19 victory and lift the trophy on Dubai's World Tour debut.
Ub's Strahinja Stojacic was named tournament MVP, his second such award of the season, after recording 34 points and 11 key assists across the competition.
He received the award from Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, while UAE Basketball Association President Abdulatif Al Fardan joined the championship presentation.
More than just basketball
Alongside the main tournament, spectators were treated to individual competitions showcasing the creativity and athleticism that have become synonymous with 3x3 basketball.
Toronto's Adris De Leon claimed victory in the Shootout Contest with 12 points, while Poland's Piotr 'Grabo' Grabowski wowed spectators to secure his third World Tour Slam Dunk Contest title of 2026.
The combination of international competition, spectacular individual performances and fan-focused entertainment demonstrated how the format can work beyond traditional indoor basketball arenas.
Dubai's own team also featured in the competition, reaching the quarter-finals and finishing eighth overall.
Dubai's basketball ambitions continue to grow
The successful staging of the inaugural event provides a platform for the sport's continued development in the emirate.
Under the three-year partnership, Dubai will remain part of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour calendar until at least 2028, giving the city an opportunity to build on its debut and establish the event among its regular international sporting attractions.
The tournament also arrives at a time of growing interest in basketball across the UAE, with Dubai Basketball competing on the European stage and the city's wider basketball community continuing to develop.
With its combination of elite competition, accessible venues and entertainment, 3x3 offers another way to introduce new audiences to the sport.
For now, the World Tour moves on to Mongolia on November 14-15, before the season concludes with the World Tour Final in Rio de Janeiro in December.
But after a dramatic debut at Festival Bay, Dubai has secured its place on the global 3x3 basketball calendar for the next two years.
