{"id":6199,"date":"2026-09-10T07:28:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T07:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/?p=6199"},"modified":"2026-09-10T07:37:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T07:37:51","slug":"how-philippines-qualified-for-2026-fiba-3x3-u23-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/how-philippines-qualified-for-2026-fiba-3x3-u23-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"How Philippines qualified for 2026 FIBA 3&#215;3 U23 World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The world&#8217;s best young 3&#215;3 basketball players will converge in Wuhan, China, for the 2026 FIBA 3&#215;3 U23 World Cup from September 15-19.<\/p>\n<p>20 teams will compete in each of the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s competitions, with Lithuania and the Netherlands defending their respective world titles and the Philippines carrying Southeast Asia&#8217;s hopes after qualifying for both.<\/p>\n<p>It marks the first time the country will have both teams competing at the FIBA 3&#215;3 U23 World Cup following successful qualification campaigns in Malaysia earlier this year.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DcZJI-6zlX6\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DcZJI-6zlX6\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by SBP (@samahangbasketbolngpilipinas)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The women&#8217;s team secured their place through the FIBA 3&#215;3 Youth Nations League Asia SEA Conference in Petaling Jaya in August, where qualification went down to the sixth and final stop.<\/p>\n<p>The Philippines needed a strong finish and delivered by defeating Chinese Taipei 17-15 in the final, overturning a four-point deficit in the closing minute behind six unanswered points from Amyah Espanol.<\/p>\n<p>That victory gave the Filipinas their third stop title of the campaign and lifted them to the top of the overall standings with 510 points, 30 ahead of Chinese Taipei, to secure their ticket to Wuhan and their second consecutive appearance on the world stage.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DcYKkiqRIt4\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DcYKkiqRIt4\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by SBP (@samahangbasketbolngpilipinas)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The men&#8217;s route to the World Cup was equally impressive.<\/p>\n<p>Competing in the separate FIBA 3&#215;3 Youth Nations League Asia 2 U21 Conference in July, the Philippines reached five of the six finals and won three stops to finish top of the standings with 520 points, ahead of Japan on 470.<\/p>\n<p>Their qualification also marked a long-awaited return to the U23 World Cup, with the Philippines having last competed in the men&#8217;s tournament at the inaugural edition in 2018.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/Da-zLvppNIb\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/Da-zLvppNIb\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by SBP (@samahangbasketbolngpilipinas)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Attention will now turn to the pool stage in Wuhan, where both Philippine teams will face four opponents in their respective groups as they attempt to reach the knockout rounds.<\/p>\n<p>The women are drawn in Pool A alongside France, Italy, Egypt and hosts China, while the men will compete in Pool B against New Zealand, Spain, Egypt and Latvia.<\/p>\n<p>Watch the 2026 FIBA 3&#215;3 U23 World Cup live on SPOTV NOW from September 15-19.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; width: 50%; text-align: left; padding: 8px;\">Game<\/th>\n<th style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; width: 20%; text-align: left; padding: 8px;\">Round<\/th>\n<th style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; width: 30%; text-align: left; padding: 8px;\">Date &amp; Time (UTC+8)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">France vs Philippines<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Women\u2019s Pool A<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">September 15 @ 2:25PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Philippines vs Italy<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Women\u2019s Pool A<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">September 15 @ 7:00PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">New Zealand vs Philippines<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Men\u2019s Pool B<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">September 16 @ 10:50AM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Philippines vs Spain<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Men\u2019s Pool B<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">September 16 @ 1:45PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Egypt vs Philippines<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Women\u2019s Pool A<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">September 17 @ 6:20PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Philippines vs China<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Women\u2019s Pool A<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">September 17 @ 9:15PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Egypt vs Philippines<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Men\u2019s Pool B<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">September 18 @ 11:15AM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Philippines vs Latvia<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">Men\u2019s Pool B<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #fff; padding: 8px;\">September 18 @ 1:20PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The world&#8217;s best young 3&#215;3 basketball players will converge in Wuhan, China, for the 2026 FIBA 3&#215;3 U23 World Cup from September 15-19. 20 teams will compete in each of the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s competitions, with Lithuania and the Netherlands defending their respective world titles and the Philippines carrying Southeast Asia&#8217;s hopes after qualifying for &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/how-philippines-qualified-for-2026-fiba-3x3-u23-world-cup\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">How Philippines qualified for 2026 FIBA 3&#215;3 U23 World Cup<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,5],"tags":[946,1349],"class_list":["post-6199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-popular","category-top-stories","tag-basketball","tag-fiba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6199"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6214,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6199\/revisions\/6214"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spotvnow.com\/read\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}