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September 30, 2025

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Home » District » Chongming

Chongming hosts FIBA 3x3 event as commerce and sports blend

By Li Xueqing | 00:01 UTC+8 September 30, 2025 | Print Edition

THE 2025 FIBA 3x3 World Tour landed in Shanghai’s Chongming District over the weekend, bringing world-class basketball action to one of China’s ecological islands.

FIBA President Sheikh Saud Ali al-Thani said at the opening ceremony that it was a delight to see so many top 3x3 basketball players gather in China.

The event, held on September 27-28 at Wanda Plaza in Chongming, featured 14 top men’s teams from around the world, including the top seed, Team UB from Serbia. Other teams included Amsterdam from the Netherlands and Toulouse from France — both feature Olympic medalists. Three Chinese teams, Shanghai, Chongming and Hangzhou, also participated.

“The organizers are really great. We really enjoyed it,” said Strahinja Stojacic, UB’s star player, who ranks No. 1 in the world in the format.

“We’ve played in many international tournaments. I think the Chongming event is of very high standard and very well organized,” said Xiang Zhichao of the home team Chongming, which joined FIBA 3x3 events in 2024 and currently ranks fifth in the 2025 season.

“The fans are passionate, and the atmosphere is fantastic. Their support really motivates me and helps us play our best,” Xiang added.

The FIBA 3x3 World Tour is the highest-level men’s 3x3 competition, with 3x3 basketball one of the most popular urban team sports worldwide. With just a hoop, a half-court and six players, it can be played anywhere. It was added to the Olympic program in 2017, starting from the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Xiang highlighted its fast pace and accessibility to audiences. “Unlike five-on-five, which often requires tickets and arenas, 3x3 is more accessible — you can just stop by and watch on the street or beside a mall,” he told Shanghai Daily outside the court.

Local resident Jin Guobo attended the tournament with her child after spotting it while shopping at Wanda Plaza. Speaking from the stands, she said: “We hope to see more large-scale events like today.”

Yan Mengqi, a tourist from Guizhou Province visiting Shanghai with her children, added: “In Guizhou we also have a strong sporting bent, but our competitions are mostly domestic. We don’t often see such international events.”

Ecology meets sports

Chongming is hosting this top-level international event for the third consecutive year. Compared with previous editions held in rice paddies and suburban parks, this year’s tournament took place in a commercial hub, integrating surrounding dining, retail and leisure businesses, and making it more convenient for local residents to enjoy the games.

The event was included in the latest round of “Enjoy Shanghai” sports vouchers, which could be used on major ticketing platforms, offering discounts of between 40 yuan (US$5.6) to 800 yuan.

A weekend carnival themed on intangible cultural heritage and basketball was also held at Wanda Plaza, offering interactive experiences such as design toy competitions, DIY sessions for sachets and mugwort hammers and a handmade market featuring heritage crafts.

Spectators also enjoyed a full “cultural-tourism-commercial-sports” experience, taking advantage of shop discounts, and the “Chongming Goods” exhibition at Wanda Plaza. The “one ticket for the whole city” system allowed them seamless access to nearby attractions, hotels and dining, creating an integrated and immersive weekend experience.

This event serves as another example of Chongming’s integrated development of culture, commerce, sports and tourism.

Located at the Yangtze River estuary, Chongming, China’s third-largest island, has long aimed to develop itself into a world-class ecological island.

The island has a forest coverage rate of 30.7 percent, with good air quality for over 90 percent of days annually. Its flat terrain and unique natural environment make it well suited for hosting world-class cycling races, water sports and marathons.

Shi Lei, deputy chief of Chongming District, said at the opening ceremony that in addition to advancing ecological initiatives, the local government has promoted sports in recent years, helping make fitness a widespread habit among residents.

Chongming’s deep basketball tradition is one such example. It has hosted the Martyrs’ Cup basketball tournament since 1951, which has grown into a major local sporting event attracting participants of all ages.

At the opening ceremony, Sheikh al-Thani also announced that FIBA will launch the “China Month of 3x3 Basketball,” starting from the Shanghai stop, with Shenzhen (Guangdong Province) and Deqing(Zhejiang Province) to follow, hosting consecutive World Tour events.

Chongming


 

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