The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026 is happening from April 1 to 5, 2026, at OCBC Square, The Kallang, Singapore. India has sent both men’s and women’s teams, and based on what they showed at the 2025 edition, there’s genuine reason for optimism, especially from the men’s side.
Here’s everything you need to follow the tournament, track Team India, and understand how it all works.
What Is the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup?
The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup is Asia and Oceania’s top continental championship for 3×3 basketball, the fast-paced, half-court version of the sport that became an Olympic event at Tokyo 2020.
It was first held in 2013 in Doha, Qatar, under the name FIBA Asia 3×3 Championship. Since 2022, Singapore has been the regular host, making 2026 the fifth consecutive year the Lion City is running the show.
Beyond the continental title, the Asia Cup also serves as a key qualifier pathway for the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2027, so every match carries double the weight.
FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026: Key Details at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Tournament | FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026 |
| Dates | April 1–5, 2026 |
| Venue | OCBC Square, The Kallang, Singapore |
| Men’s Teams | 24 |
| Women’s Teams | 22 |
| India Men’s Seeding | 21st |
| India Women’s Seeding | 18th |
| Defending Men’s Champions | Australia |
| Defending Women’s Champions | Australia |
| Official Website | fiba3x3.basketball/2026/asiacup |
How Does 3×3 Basketball Work?
If you’re familiar with five-a-side football or T20 cricket, you already understand the appeal: same game, compressed format, maximum drama.
Here’s how 3×3 basketball is played:
- 3 players per side on court, with 1 substitute on the bench (4 players total per squad)
- Played on a half-court
- 12-second shot clock (compared to 24 seconds in regular basketball)
- First team to 21 points wins, or whoever leads after 10 minutes
- Shots inside the arc = 1 point, shots beyond the arc = 2 points
- Possession changes after every basket; the defensive team must “clear” the ball beyond the arc before attacking
The result? Every possession matters. Games can swing in seconds. A single player going hot can win you the match, which is why individual matchups become so compelling.
Tournament Format: How Teams Qualify and Advance
The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026 runs in two phases: a Qualifying Draw followed by the Main Draw (Pool Play and Knockouts).
Qualifying Draw
The top 8 seeds in both men’s and women’s competitions skip straight to the Main Draw. Everyone else, including India, competes in the Qualifying Draw, grouped into pools of 3-4 teams.
Only the group winner advances to the Main Draw. There are no second chances.
Men’s Qualifying Draw Groups
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| Group A | Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Korea |
| Group B | Malaysia, Turkmenistan, India |
| Group C | Chinese Taipei, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Bahrain |
| Group D | Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Macau, Maldives |
Men’s Qualifying Draw, India’s Group
Indian men are in Qualifying Draw Group D alongside Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, China, and Bahrain. All three of India’s men’s matches are scheduled for April 1.
If they finish top of the group, India enters the Main Draw Pool D alongside New Zealand and Qatar.
Women’s Qualifying Draw, India’s Group
Indian women are placed in Qualifying Draw Group B with Malaysia and Turkmenistan, and will play on April 2. Win the group, and they move into the Main Draw Pool B, where Mongolia and New Zealand are already waiting.
Main Draw Structure
| Pool | Pre-Qualified Teams (Men’s) |
|---|---|
| Pool A | Mongolia, Chinese Taipei + QD Group A winner |
| Pool B | China, Australia + QD Group B winner |
| Pool C | Japan, Singapore + QD Group C winner |
| Pool D | New Zealand, Qatar + QD Group D winner |
The top 2 from each pool progress to the quarter-finals. From there, it’s a knockout all the way to the final on April 5.
India’s Squad for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026
The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has confirmed the squads for both the men’s and women’s teams.
Men’s Squad
| Player | Notable Info |
|---|---|
| Pranav Prince | Represents Indian Bank, Chennai; native of Thiruvananthapuram |
| Kushal Singh | Key contributor in 2025 qualifying wins |
| Arvind Muthukrishnan | Top scorer in India’s quarter-final run at Asia Cup 2025 |
| Harsh Dagar | Star performer; scored 12 points in a single game at the Asia Cup 2025 |
Harsh Dagar is the name to watch. At just 20 years old in the 2025 edition, he single-handedly outscored the entire South Korean team in a single match, hitting four two-pointers and finishing with 12 points.
Women’s Squad
| Player | Notable Info |
|---|---|
| Sreekala Rani | Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB); experienced campaigner |
| Sanjana Ramesh | Part of the 2026 squad |
| T. Dharshini | Competed at the Asia Cup 2023, finishing 11th with the women’s side |
| Pushpa Senthil Kumar | Returning member from the 2025 squad |
India’s Recent History at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup
Understanding where India stands means looking at where they’ve come from.
Men’s Team: A Quiet Revival
For most of the tournament’s history, India’s men struggled to make an impact. Their last quarter-final appearance before 2025 was at the inaugural 2013 edition, over a decade ago.
Then came the Asia Cup 2025, and things changed.
India stormed through qualifying with three wins over South Korea, the Philippines, and Macau — finishing at the top of their group. In the Main Draw, they beat Chinese Taipei 21-18 and nearly upset second-seeded China, losing only 19-21 in the final minute.
Their quarter-final run ended against New Zealand (21-11), but the team finished 6th overall, their best result in 12 years.
For context, India were 13th at the 2024 edition, with a squad that included Arvind Muthu, Pranav Prince, Sahaij Pratap Singh Sekhon, and Princepal Singh. The jump from 13th to 6th in one year is no accident; it’s momentum.
Women’s Team: Inconsistency, But a Title Worth Remembering
The Indian women’s team has had a tougher run in recent editions. They were knocked out in the qualifying rounds in both 2025 and 2024.
But here’s something most casual fans don’t know: India won the women’s FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup title once. New Zealand and China each have one title, while Australia has dominated with five.
Their most recent Asia Cup women’s finish (2023) was 11th place, with Pushpa Senthil Kumar, Raspreet Sidhu, Kavya Singla, and Dharshini representing the squad.
For 2026, the women’s team will need to beat Malaysia and Turkmenistan just to reach the Main Draw, a qualifying campaign that their 2025 counterparts couldn’t complete.
India’s Fixtures: Dates and Opponents
Get all the details of India’s upcoming games, including dates and rival teams. Never miss a match with this complete schedule
Men’s Fixtures — April 1
| Match | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Game 1 | India vs Kazakhstan |
| Game 2 | India vs Hong Kong, China |
| Game 3 | India vs Bahrain |
All three matches in the qualifying round are played in a single day.
Women’s Fixtures — April 2
| Match | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Game 1 | India vs Malaysia |
| Game 2 | India vs Turkmenistan |
Only the group winner progresses. There are no second-place qualifiers.
Tournament Favourites and Teams to Watch
Men’s Side
Australia enter as the clear favourites. They are the most decorated team in Asia Cup history with five titles, including back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025. They’re chasing an unprecedented third consecutive crown — and they have the squad to do it.
Mongolia are the second-ranked team and two-time champions. Their last title came in 2023, and they’ll be motivated to reclaim it. China, Japan, New Zealand and hosts Singapore are all capable of making deep runs.
Women’s Side
Same story on the women’s side: Australia are the defending champions and have five titles to their name, including three in a row. To beat them, someone needs to play a near-perfect tournament. China (ranked 1st), Mongolia (2nd) and Japan (3rd) are the closest challengers.
2025 MVPs — Who Lit Up the Last Edition?
At the 2025 edition, the individual awards went to
- Men’s MVP: Dillon Stith (Australia)
- Women’s MVP: Alex Wilson (Australia)
- Men’s Team of the Tournament: Dillon Stith (AUS), Te Tuhi Lewis (NZL), Ryo Ozawa (JPN)
- Women’s Team of the Tournament: Alex Wilson (AUS), Fuyuko Takahashi (JPN), Mengyun Zhou (CHN)
Australia’s dominance wasn’t just a team effort — they produced the best individual players too.
The Stakes: Why This Tournament Matters Beyond the Trophy
Winning the Asia Cup is obviously the goal, but the tournament carries broader implications — especially for a developing basketball nation like India.
1. World Cup 2027 Qualification
Results at the Asia Cup directly feed into FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2027 qualification. Teams accumulate ranking points, and continental cup performances influence which teams earn automatic or seeded berths.
2. Olympic Pathway for LA 2028
3×3 basketball returns at the LA 2028 Olympics — and the path there runs through events like this. Every performance that builds India’s world ranking improves their shot at qualification, even if it takes multiple cycles.
3. India’s Rising Global Ranking
India’s men finished the 2025 Asia Cup ranked No. 67 in the world. Every strong result at a FIBA event contributes to that ranking. The gap between them and top Asian sides like New Zealand (No. 22 in 2025) shows how much room there is to grow, but also how fast they’ve been climbing.
How to Watch the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026 Live
Live Stream
All matches are live streamed on the official FIBA 3×3 YouTube channel. You don’t need a subscription or a paid platform — just an internet connection.
Search “FIBA 3×3” on YouTube and head to the official channel when matches are live.
Tickets (For Those Attending in Singapore)
If you’re travelling to watch in person
- General admission starts from SGD 5 (concession holders)
- Courtside tickets from SGD 30
- Free entry for first sessions on April 1 and 2
- Season Pass covers all 8 sessions of the Asia Cup + 3 sessions of the World Cup Qualifier
If you’re also attending the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier 2026 (April 11-12, same venue), buying a bundle gets you 20% off.
What India Needs to Do to Advance
Here’s a clear picture of what success looks like for each team.
Men’s Path to the Main Draw
India needs to finish first in Qualifying Draw Group D (vs Kazakhstan, Hong Kong China, Bahrain).
The 2025 campaign showed exactly how it’s done: India won all three qualifying matches with double-digit margins, finishing at the top of their group and rolling into the main draw with momentum already built.
Kazakhstan (12th seeded) will be the toughest test. If India can neutralise them, Hong Kong and Bahrain should be manageable on current form.
Women’s Path to the Main Draw
India needs to win Group B of the Qualifying Draw (vs Malaysia, Turkmenistan).
Both opponents are lower-seeded, so the margin for error isn’t great — a single upset loss could end India’s tournament on day one. The women’s squad needs consistency across both matches, something they struggled with in 2025 when they lost two out of three qualifying games.
India Women’s Historic Title: The One Most Fans Forgot
Since this piece is for Indian basketball fans, it’s worth revisiting the fact that India’s women have won the Asia Cup before. While the exact year isn’t listed in the available FIBA records for each title winner, the tournament data confirms that India is one of only four nations, alongside Australia, New Zealand, and China, to have won the women’s crown.
That context matters. This isn’t a team with no history of competing at the top; it’s a team trying to find its way back.
Quick Recap: FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026 for India Fans
- When: April 1–5, 2026
- Where: OCBC Square, The Kallang, Singapore
- India Men play: April 1 (vs Kazakhstan, Hong Kong China, Bahrain)
- India Women play: April 2 (vs Malaysia, Turkmenistan)
- Men’s squad: Pranav Prince, Kushal Singh, Arvind Muthukrishnan, Harsh Dagar
- Women’s squad: Sreekala Rani, Sanjana Ramesh, T. Dharshini, Pushpa Senthil Kumar
- Watch free: FIBA 3×3 official YouTube channel
- India’s 2025 result: Men — 6th place (quarter-finalist); Women — Eliminated in qualifiers
- Official source:fiba3x3.basketball/2026/asiacup
India’s men have proven they can compete at the top of Asian 3×3 basketball. The 2026 edition is a chance to build on last year, go deeper in the knockouts, and continue writing a story that, honestly, is only just getting started.
