HONGCHEON (Republic of Korea) – The race for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour intensifies as the FIBA 3x3 Hongcheon Challenger 2026 brings an elite international field to the Hongcheon K Convention square on September 18-19, with three coveted tickets to FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macau 2026 on the line. The 23rd Challenger of the season, Hongcheon promises another high-stakes weekend as teams look to turn Challenger success into a place on the World Tour stage.
Packed with contenders
The tournament features several highly-ranked teams in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2026 season standings, led by Ub (SRB), who enter Hongcheon ranked No. 1 overall.
Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL) arrive at No. 8, while Vienna (AUT) are 11th and DeQing (CHN) sit 13th. Further depth comes from Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO) at No. 16, Sansar M Bank (MGL) at No. 23, Liberec DEKSTONE (CZE) at No. 24 and Lausanne (SUI) at No. 34.
With three World Tour tickets available, every game will carry added significance. The depth of the field leaves little margin for error, with established contenders and international 3x3 programs all eyeing the same prize.
Several teams, however, have already pre-qualified to FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macau 2026. These are Warsaw, DeQing, Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy and top-seeded Ub.
Star power in Hongcheon
Of course, the tournament will bring together a collection of proven 3x3 basketball players. Ub should be led by the world's No. 1-ranked 3x3 basketball player, Strahinja Stojacic, while Ulaanbaatar will look to Anand Ariunbold for production on both offense and defense.
Fabio Sohnel will be one to watch for Vienna, while DeQing have FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2026 champion Francis Lacis in their ranks. Cibona Ph.Classic will rely on Roko Spaseski, with Adam Růžička providing another key presence for Liberec DEKSTONE. Mongolian side Sansar M Bank will have speedster Bolor-Erdene Gantsolmon, while Natan Jurkovitz brings experience and versatility to Lausanne.
Full Seeding List
1. Ub (SRB) 2. Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL) 3. Vienna (AUT) 4. DeQing (CHN) 5. Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO) 6. Taipei WanBao (TPE) 7. Liberec DEKSTONE (CZE) 8. Lausanne (SUI) 9. Sansar M Bank (MGL) 10. Warsaw (POL) 11. Utsunomiya BREX.EXE (JPN) 12. Tsukuba (JPN) 13. Cluj (ROU) 14. Kaohsiung WanBao (TPE) 15. Hongcheon (KOR) 16. Cotai WOLFUNITED (MAC)
Qualifying Draw
Qualifying Draw A: Liberec DEKSTONE (CZE), Kaohsiung WanBao (TPE), Hongcheon (KOR) Qualifying Draw B: Sansar M Bank (MGL), Tsukuba (JPN), Cotai WOLFUNITED (MAC)
Main Draw
Pool A: Ub (SRB), Warsaw (POL), Utsunomiya BREX.EXE (JPN) Pool B: Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL), Lausanne (SUI), Cluj (ROU) Pool C: Vienna (AUT), Taipei WanBao (TPE), QD A Pool D: DeQing (CHN), Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO), QD B
Road to Macau
Hongcheon represents another crucial checkpoint on the road to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour. With three places in Macau available, teams will need to navigate pool play and the knockout rounds before the weekend's biggest prize is decided.
The Hongcheon K Convention square will provide the setting for two days of fast-paced 3x3 basketball, as some of the leading teams in the season standings collide with World Tour qualification at stake. The Challenger action gets underway on September 18, with the knockout rounds and Finals following on September 19.
Stay Connected
Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3x3 World Tour throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official World Tour website, where you can find the latest news, team standings, player statistics and everything you need to follow the Race to the Final. Fans can also keep track of the Event Calendar and the latest FIBA 3x3 Individual and Federation Rankings as teams and players continue their push toward the season finale.
Want to learn more about 3x3 basketball? Explore the official FIBA 3x3 Rules to understand the unique fast-paced format of the game, or discover the FIBA 3x3 Competition Structure to see how the discipline’s global pathway connects grassroots events, professional tours and world-class international competitions.
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