ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - After a one-year breather due to the Paris Olympics, the showpiece FIBA 3x3 World Cup returns for its ninth edition on June 23-29.
The World Cup will be played for the first time in fan favorite Mongolia with its historic capital Ulaanbaatar to play host. It marks a return of the event to Asia after seven years and is set to be bigger and better than ever before as 3x3 builds in popularity on the back of last year's unforgettable Olympics.
For those who are part of the community then this is merely a refresher, but for the legion of new fans here are some facts about the World Cup that you might not know.
Biggest event in 3x3
This is the big one. The holy grail. The prize to end all prizes. Since launching in 2012, it is the annual event - apart from a breather during Olympic years - that is circled by all players on the calendar. Befitting its status, the World Cup is enormous and played over seven days, featuring the best 40 teams on the planet.
Powerhouse Serbia have dominated the men's draw with six of the eight titles so far, including the last two. Hoops power USA won in 2019 while Qatar's victory in 2014 remains the great underdog story and proves that anything is possible in the 21-point game.
There are six different winners in women's history with hoops power USA the only multiple champs having lifted the trophy in 2012, 2014 and 2023.
Gender parity
Underlining FIBA 3x3's commitment to gender parity, there are an equal number of men's and women's teams with 20 each. Men and women play on the same half-court with an equal opportunity to show off their mesmerising skills.
The men's and women's competitions are exactly the same. They are played under the same rules and the same Wilson ball, while session tickets will provide entry for both men's and women's competitions.
Huge slate of games
There are 104 games spread over the seven-day competitions. The pool games will be played across the first four days before the last 16 on day five. The quarter-finals will highlight day six before a nerve-wracking final day.
The seventh and last day features the semi-finals, the third placed games before finishing off in style with the men's and women's finals.
Watch for free
Every game is available live and free on YouTube although some geo restrictions might apply, with the event broadcast on television in some locations.
FIBA