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| (Image Source: PhilStar.com/FIBA) |
FIBA (Federacion Internationale de Basketball) 3x3 has officially announced the schedule for its World Tour 2022 season which includes an all-time best 13 events and will be capped out with the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Finals which is slated to take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE for the third time on December 9-10, 2022.
The FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2022 season begins with a first-ever Opener on May 14-15, 2022 and it will be staged at the iconic Futuaarayama Shrine in Utsunomiya, Japan which has previously hosted four 3x3 World Tour events. The Opener will bring together the top ten teams in the FIBA 3x3 Team Rankings plus the best 3x3 squads in Japan and will include several activities and announcements including the launch of the official FIBA 3x3 watch. Among the events in the World Tour 2022 schedule are the Manila Masters on May 28-29 and the Cebu Masters on October 1-2 - both to be presented by Chooks-To-Go and its Chooks Pilipinas 3x3 League. Other locations with scheduled World Tour events include France (July 15-16), Prague (July 30-31), Lausanne (August 19-20), Debrecen (August 27-28), and Montreal (September 3-4) while dates for World Tour events in Chengdu, Jeddah, Hong Kong and Macau as well as schedules for international qualifiers will be disclosed upon further confirmation.
The FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2022 Final in Abu Dhabi will be held at Yas Island, a popular leisure island which houses many entertainment facilities and sporting events such as the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “It is an honor for us to host the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final for the third time. The event is beloved within our community and fits with our strategy to bring the best and most innovative sporting events in the world. We were delighted to see 3x3’s success at the Tokyo Olympics and are committed to continue growing the game together," said Abu Dhabi Sports Council General Secretary Aref Hamad Al Awani. For FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, “We’re delighted to bring the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final to Abu Dhabi for the third time. Coming back for the Final six years later shows the spiking interest for 3x3 and the commitment of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.” The 2015 and 2016 Finals rank among the most memorable and successful events in 3x3 history, both in terms of excitement on the court and quality of the organization. The event was praised for being one of the best sporting event in Abu Dhabi in 2015. “Our previous Abu Dhabi Finals were a decisive moment in the growth of 3x3. We’re blessed to have found a partner in the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, which shares our vision of 3x3 events being more than a sporting event. We are looking forward to continuing this legacy by organizing an unprecedented show this year in Abu Dhabi," shared FIBA 3x3 Head of Events Ignacio Soriano.
