FIBA announced the calendar for its 2015 FIBA 3×3 World Tour at a press conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday.

For its fourth edition, the FIBA 3×3 World Tour will continue to visit some of the most vibrant urban cities around the world: Manila, Prague, Beijing, Olympic capital Lausanne, Mexico, Rio de Janeiro and Abu Dhabi.

The FIBA 3×3 World Tour is the flagship event of the fast-paced discipline and sees teams representing cities from around the world qualify for six 12-team Masters events via a worldwide network of qualifying tournaments. Any team of four players is eligible to participate.

The two best teams from each Masters event qualify for the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final, which will be held in Abu Dhabi.

“We are thrilled to have the Final of the World Tour take place in the UAE capital,” said FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Patrick Baumann.  “Not only is the Corniche one the most iconic cityscapes in the world, but also FIBA’s main 3×3 event is coming to a city and a country that have fully embraced our game by organising countless 3×3 events.”

The development of 3×3 basketball has become a pillar of the UAE Basketball Association’s strategy, as 3×3 basketball chairman H.E. Khalid Al Hanaei explained: “We are trying to build a legacy and I am very happy that the Abu Dhabi 3×3 Basketball Tour is growing from one tournament to another. We want to make people aware that Abu Dhabi will host the most important 3×3 basketball event of the year, the World Tour Final, and we are using every opportunity.”

The Abu Dhabi Sports Council – the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final local organiser – underlined its excitement to host the prestigious event and its long-term commitment.

“I am glad that we are able to spread this new way of practicing basketball, with the help of FIBA and the promoters, Sport Arena and Extra International Sport,” said Abu Dhabi Sports Council Secretary General H.E. Aref Al Awani.

“During the Abu Dhabi 3×3 Basketball Tour we have discovered that there is a lot of potential for 3×3 basketball and we would like to enhance our activities in this field. I can say that now we are comfortable to host the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final and 3×3 basketball will be on our yearly agenda for the next five years, ready to host this important event also after 2015 and 2016.”

2015 FIBA 3×3 World Tour calendar
1-2 August – Manila, Philippines
8-9 August – Prague, Czech Republic
15-16 August – Beijing, China
28-29 August – Lausanne, Switzerland
9-10 September – Mexico City, Mexico
26-27 September – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
15-16 October – Abu Dhabi, UAE – World Tour Final

Novi Sad (Serbia), are the reigning FIBA 3×3 World Tour champions following their success in Tokyo on 11-12 October 2014. Their top scorer, Dejan “The Maestro” Majstorovic, is the current leader of the FIBA 3×3 Individual World Ranking.

A Dunk Contest and a Shoot-out Contest will take place at each FIBA 3×3 World Tour event.

The overall prize money on offer at the 2015 FIBA 3×3 World Tour will total USD $200,000.