BAKU (Azerbaijan) - The Netherlands (NED) will enter the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Sea Breeze 2026 as the top seed, but they will face a deep international field with Neftchi SOCAR (AZE), Germany (GER), Austria (AUT) and Madrid (ESP) also offering strong odds in the hunt for the title. With 16 teams set to battle it out, the Sea Breeze Resort in Baku is ready for another high-level stop on the Women’s Series calendar.
The Netherlands have plenty of motivation heading into Sea Breeze. Noortje Driessen & Co. are on fire, having won three consecutive Women’s Series stops and four overall this season. The Dutch arrive as the clear team to beat and will look to extend their remarkable run as the circuit heads into another crucial stop.
Full Seedings List:
1. Netherlands (NED) 2. Neftchi SOCAR (AZE) 3. Germany (GER) 4. Austria (AUT) 5. Madrid (ESP) 6. Latvia (LAT) 7. Yanjing (CHN) 8. Czechia (CZE) 9. Warsaw (POL) 10. Ukraine (UKR) 11. Poland (POL) 12. Paraguay (PAR) 13. Egypt (EGY) 14. Azerbaijan (AZE) 15. Benin (BEN) 16. Arrasate Ointxe (ESP)
Pools
Qualifying Draw A: Ukraine (UKR), Egypt (EGY), Azerbaijan (AZE) Qualifying Draw B: Poland (POL), Paraguay (PAR), Benin (BEN)
Main Draw
Pool A: Netherlands (NED), Czechia (CZE), Warsaw (POL) Pool B: Neftchi SOCAR (AZE), Yanjing (CHN), Arrasate Ointxe (ESP) Pool C: Germany (GER), Latvia (LAT), QD A Pool D: Austria (AUT), Madrid (ESP), QD B
Players to watch
Of course, Driessen will once again be at the heart of the Netherlands' campaign. The Dutch star has helped drive the team's dominant run throughout the 2026 season, with four Women’s Series titles already to the team's name. After winning three stops in a row, Driessen will look to keep the momentum rolling and lead the top seed back to the top of the podium in Sea Breeze.
For their part, Neftchi SOCAR are seeded second and will be looking to make a deep run on home soil. Alexandra Mollenhauer remains one of the leading players in the Women’s Series rankings, even after recently being overtaken for the No. 1 spot by Hortense Limouzin of Rapid Bucharest. With Mollenhauer leading the way, Neftchi SOCAR will have plenty of firepower as they chase their third title of 2026 in front of their home fans.
Germany are the No. 3 seed and arrive with one of the circuit's most explosive players in Marie Reichert. Germany have yet to win a Women’s Series stop in 2026, but Reichert has continued to rank among the top eight players on the circuit and remains a major threat around the basket. She will be central to Germany's bid for a breakthrough in Baku.
Austria are seeded fourth after quietly putting together a solid resume this season. Sigrid Koizar has been leading from the front, helping Austria reach the Semi-Finals at two of their last three Women’s Series stops. The Austrians will now look to turn that consistency into their first title of the season and take another step forward.
Madrid are the No. 5 seed and already know what it takes to win on the Women’s Series this year. The Spanish side captured the WS Vienna title, with Cecilia Muhate playing a major role alongside Juana Camilion. Muhate will once again be a key figure as Madrid look to build on their campaign and chase a second stop win of the season.
Latvia, seeded sixth, will also have their sights set on a deep run. Digna Strautmane remains one of the team's key players and will look to rediscover the form that helped Latvia reach the Final at WS Cáceres. After a difficult stretch in their most recent stops, Strautmane and Latvia will be eager to get back into contention.
Yanjing (CHN) are seeded seventh, while Czechia (CZE) take the eighth seed and Warsaw (POL) round out the seeded teams in Pool A alongside top seed Netherlands. Pool B features Neftchi SOCAR, Yanjing and Arrasate Ointxe (ESP), while Germany and Latvia will await the winner of Qualifying Draw A in Pool C. Austria and Madrid headline Pool D, with the winner of Qualifying Draw B completing the group.
The Qualifying Draw will feature six teams fighting for the final two places in the Main Draw. Ukraine (UKR), Egypt (EGY) and Azerbaijan (AZE) will meet in Qualifying Draw A, while Poland (POL), Paraguay (PAR) and Benin (BEN) will battle it out in Qualifying Draw B.
With the Netherlands riding a three-stop winning streak, Neftchi SOCAR looking to make the most of home surroundings, and a host of established contenders chasing their own breakthrough, WS Sea Breeze promises another competitive stop on the 2026 Women’s Series calendar.
Stay Connected
Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official Women's Series 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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