DAKAR (Senegal) – Senegal's men and Poland's women emerged as the 3x3 basketball champions at the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, bringing four days of competition to a thrilling conclusion on November 9. Poland edged China 12-11 in the women's gold medal game, while Senegal delighted the home crowd with a dramatic 14-13 victory over Lithuania to secure the men's title. Senegal also collected a bronze medal in the women's competition, while Germany finished third in the men's tournament.
Women's Tournament
Poland claimed the women's 3x3 basketball title after navigating a competitive field and producing a decisive run through the knockout rounds. The fifth seeds finished second in Pool D behind Senegal, advancing to the Quarter-Finals with one win from their two pool games.
China, meanwhile, topped Pool A with two victories and carried that form into the knockout stage. The top seeds opened their medal rounds effort with a 21-14 win over Czechia, while Poland defeated Chinese Taipei 20-10 to move into the Semi-Finals. Senegal also advanced after overcoming Chile 13-11 and Egypt completed the last four with a 14-13 victory over Kenya.
The Semi-Finals delivered two closely contested matchups. China edged Senegal 21-19 to book their place in the gold medal game, while Poland defeated Egypt 19-14 to set up a championship showdown with the top seeds.
Senegal bounced back from their Semi-Finals defeat to claim the bronze medal, edging Egypt 18-17 in the third-place game.
The gold medal game proved just as tight. Poland held off China 12-11 in a defensive-oriented matchup to secure the women's title, completing a successful run through the knockout stage and finishing the tournament with four wins from five games. China settled for silver, while Senegal rounded out the podium.
Men's Tournament
Senegal men delivered a memorable performance in front of their home supporters, winning all five of their games to capture the men's 3x3 basketball gold medal at Dakar 2026.
The hosts began their campaign by topping Pool D with two wins, finishing ahead of Lithuania and Algeria. Germany also made a strong impression in the group stage, winning both of its Pool A games, while Argentina and Latvia topped Pools B and C, respectively.
The Quarter-Finals produced four compelling matchups. Germany defeated Puerto Rico 21-14, Senegal overcame Mongolia 20-11, Lithuania edged Argentina 21-19 and Latvia beat Côte d'Ivoire 20-16 to advance to the Semi-Finals.
Senegal then survived a close contest against Germany, winning 16-15 to reach the gold medal game. Lithuania joined the hosts in the Final after edging Latvia 21-19 in the other Semi-Final.
Germany recovered from their Semi-Final setback to claim the bronze medal, defeating Latvia 21-17 in the third-place game.
The championship matchup between Senegal and Lithuania went down to the wire. Backed by the home crowd, Senegal prevailed 14-13 to complete an unforgettable campaign and secure the men's gold medal. Lithuania took silver after a strong run to the Final, while Germany finished with the bronze.
Women's Final Standings
1. Poland (POL) 2. China (CHN) 3. Senegal (SEN) 4. Egypt (EGY) 5. Chinese Taipei (TPE) 6. Chile (CHI) 7. Kenya (KEN) 8. Czechia (CZE) 9. France (FRA) 10. Mexico (MEX) 11. Ukraine (UKR) 12. Fiji (FIJ)
Men's Final Standings
1. Senegal (SEN) 2. Lithuania (LTU) 3. Germany (GER) 4. Latvia (LAT) 5. Argentina (ARG) 6. Côte d'Ivoire (CIV) 7. Puerto Rico (PUR) 8. Mongolia (MGL) 9. Venezuela (VEN) 10. Algeria (ALG) 11. Singapore (SGP) 12. Solomon Islands (SOL)
Memorable finish in Dakar
The 3x3 basketball competition at YOG-Dakar 2026 provided a fitting showcase for the next generation of the sport, with 24 national teams competing for Youth Olympic medals across four days of action. Poland and Senegal emerged as champions after two dramatic gold medal games, while Senegal's men's triumph gave the home supporters an additional reason to celebrate. It also offered another opportunity to highlight 3x3 basketball's global reach and its ability to bring young athletes and communities together. In Dakar, the next generation took center stage, with Poland and Senegal earning the gold.
Stay Connected
Follow the 3x3 basketball results from Dakar 2026 on the official FIBA 3x3 website, and see how past Youth Olympians have gone on to compete on the World Tour, the Women's Series and at the Olympic Games. To learn more about the format, explore the official FIBA 3x3 Rules and the FIBA 3x3 Competition Structure.
FIBA