ZADAR (Croatia) - On Wednesday, January 28, a press conference was held at the Providur’s Palace confirming that the City of Zadar will host the FIBA 3x3 World Tour on May 15 and 16. This is a competition with a long-standing tradition, held from April to December in only 14 selected cities worldwide, placing the City of Zadar alongside metropolises capable of organizing such a prestigious international basketball tournament.
Presenting the reasons behind bringing the FIBA 3x3 World Tour to Zadar, Kamil Novak, Executive Director of FIBA, highlighted the importance of strengthening the European 3x3 scene and highlighted Zadar as a natural choice in that development. "From FIBA Europe’s perspective, it is extremely important for Europe to host new events of this format, especially after a period in which 3x3 basketball has developed primarily in Asia. The arrival of the World Tour in Croatia and in Zadar represents great value, both for Croatian basketball and for FIBA and FIBA Europe. Across Europe and around the world, Croatia’s outstanding basketball tradition is widely recognized, and Zadar holds a special place in that context. Its location, coastline, and distinctive urban identity perfectly align with the concept of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour."
FIBA 3x3 World Tour Zadar Croatia, will welcome 14 of the world’s best 3x3 basketball teams, including one Croatian team. The teams will compete for points on the global FIBA 3x3 ranking list and for a prize money of €150,000. The tournament finals will be broadcasted nationally and internationally, reaching audiences in more than 200 countries and over 1 billion views on digital and social channels. This will position the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zadar as a top-tier global sports and tourism destination. The Government of the Republic of Croatia has recognized the numerous benefits that hosting an event of this stature brings to the country and is co-financing the event with a total of three million euros over the next three years. Great public interest and international sports attention are also driven by the 3x3 basketball format itself. Although relatively young, it is currently the fastest-growing Olympic discipline and was officially included in the Olympic Games program at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Speaking about the broader significance of hosting the FIBA 3×3 World Tour in Croatia, on behalf of the Minister of Tourism and Sport Tonči Glavina, Josip Pavić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, stated: "We are delighted that the Croatian Basketball Federation has brought this major competition to Croatia and that Zadar has become one of the stops on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour, alongside 13 major global cities such as Vienna, Shanghai, Amsterdam, and Hong Kong. Events like this are extremely important for the development of sport, as well as for the sports and tourism promotion of our country. They carry additional value as they take place in May, directly contributing to the development of year-round tourism. Government has recognized all the benefits that hosting this world series brings to Croatia and has supported organization of FIBA 3x3 World Tour not only this year, but also over the next two years, with total funding of three million euros. I am confident that once again we will prove ourselves to be excellent hosts." The importance of the tournament for the City of Zadar and its sporting identity was also pointed out by Mayor Šime Erlić, who pointed out that sport is deeply rooted in the city’s daily life, with basketball holding a particularly special place in its history and identity: "Zadar breathes and lives sport 365 days a year. We have Modrić’s Ballon d’Or, Škoblar’s Golden Boot, the Fantela brothers who brought Olympic gold to Zadar, as well as numerous world and European champions. Still, basketball is something special and part of the DNA of our city. For Zadar, basketball is more than a sport," said Mayor Šime Erlić. He also recalled legendary names and achievements that, as he noted, created the myth of Zadar basketball, further emphasizing the importance of hosting the FIBA 3x3 World Tour. "Krešo and Pino, along with many other basketball legends and numerous titles, created the myth of Zadar basketball. I am confident that, thanks to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, Zadar will position itself even more strongly on the map of Europe and the world. Thank you to the Ministry of Tourism and Sport and the Croatian Basketball Federation. I am looking forward to the tournament and invite everyone to come to Zadar in May and see live how the best of the best play in what is known as ‘street basketball,’ which has gone far beyond the streets and become a sport that has captivated sports enthusiasts around the world." As an introduction to FIBA 3x3 World Tour Zadar Croatia 2026, the weekend prior, May 9-10, will see the eighth edition of the Diadora Open. This event is the first of ten stops of the 2026 CRO 3x3 Tour. The tour will take place across Croatia continuously until July 18-19, when the 3x3 Croatian Championship Finals are scheduled. Worthy de Jong, Olympic champion in 3x3 basketball, attended the press conference in Zadar to mark the official announcement of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour event and shared his personal connection to the 3x3 game. "I’m here in Zadar for the official announcement of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, and it’s a great pleasure to be part of this moment. I played basketball for more than 13 years, and at a certain point I lost my love for the game. 3x3 helped me find it again. It brought me back to where my passion for basketball first began, as an 11-year-old kid playing on the streets, closer to myself and my own identity. That sense of freedom and authenticity reconnected me with the game. With the sea, the atmosphere, and the energy of the city, Zadar is a perfect place for 3x3 basketball, and I’m sure it’s going to be an amazing event." Speaking about the broader impact of the tournament, the organizer and President of the Croatian Basketball Federation, Nikola Rukavina, emphasized that the FIBA 3x3 World Tour has strong tourism, economic, and social potential. "The world’s best 3x3 teams, thousands of spectators, and exceptional international media visibility are coming to Zadar. The tournament will be broadcast in more than 50 markets and reach hundreds of millions of viewers, positioning Croatia as a modern and sports-driven destination." The competition begins with qualification games on Friday, while Saturday is reserved for the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand final of the tournament. In addition, spectators will be able to enjoy entertainment programs between games each day. The event’s attractiveness will be further enhanced by the Dunking Contest and the Shooting Contest, both scheduled for Saturday. Admission to the stands will be free, and more than 10,000 spectators are expected to witness firsthand the extremely fast and attractive game format that has, in a short time, elevated 3x3 basketball from a street sport to an Olympic discipline. The Zadar tournament is conceived as a sports and urban spectacle that connects basketball, the city, music, and the audience. After the sporting part of the event, spectators will also have the opportunity to enjoy an outstanding music lineup on Saturday, May 16, starting at 8:00 PM. Concerts by Baby Lasagna, Vojko V, and TBF will conclude FIBA 3x3 World Tour Zadar Croatia 2026 in the best possible way. The organizer, the Croatian Basketball Federation, would like to thank its key partners without whom the realization of this project would not be possible, especially the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the City of Zadar, the Zadar Tourist Board, FIBA, as well as all services, associates, and local partners involved in the preparation and execution of the event.
FIBA