Ireland's men qualify for the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Finals in Antwerp

The Ireland men’s 3x3 team have booked a place in the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Finals for the second year in a row in Antwerp, Belgium after beating Cyprus 21-13 in the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Qualifiers in Kosovo, with Matt Treacy picking up the Finals MVP. Our women’s team also reached the finals of FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Qualifiers but were defeated by Azerbaijan in a hard-fought battle. 

"It's massive for the men's 3x3 programme," said head coach Darren McGovern. "Two FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup appearances in a row is something realistic and something we planned for. Basketball Ireland have been investing in 3x3 and it's been repaid with the results over the last few years."

"I couldn't be any prouder of the players. They have delivered when it matters now for two years. Looking forward to the summer of preparation for the finals in Antwerp in September now."

The men were drawn into a group with Cyprus and Kosovo, knowing that one win would be enough to advance to the semi-finals. Both games were decided by two points, with Cyprus winning 21-19 in the opening encounter and Ireland beating Kosovo 18-16 in the evening match. 

Albania awaited Ireland in the semi-finals, as our men’s team ran away 21-15 winners, with a standout performance from Matt Treacy, making six buckets from beyond the arc. Cyprus and Ireland met once again in the final having played each other in the 2025 FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Qualifier. A slow and nervy start to the game from both sides was broken by Jordan Blount after two minutes as he put Ireland on the board. Scores from Darren McGoverns other men – Ryan Leonard, Lucien Christofis and Matt Treacy – pushed Ireland over the line as they book their plane tickets to Belgium this September. 

Matt Treacy picks up the MVP in the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Qualifiers final in Kosovo, 2026

The Irish women’s team were drawn against Kosovo in the first round of the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Qualifiers, with the winners to play against Cyprus in the semi-finals. Claire Melia and Hazel Finn led the scoring charge for Ireland with seven points each, in a game which saw Ireland cruise to a 21-8 win.  

Ireland’s performance in the semi-finals was straight off the practice court, as they won 21-9 to book a spot in the final of the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Qualifiers. Last year's FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup runners-up Azerbaijan met Ireland in the final. Niamh Dwyer’s players – Claire Melia, Maura Fitzpatrick, Hazel Finn and Abigail Rafferty – put in an incredible performance against one of the best teams in the world, but fell short at the final hurdle, losing 21-20.  

The qualification for the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Finals is highly important for countries to gain ranking points in order to qualify for competitions such as the FIBA 3x3 World Cup or the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, 2028. You can read more about it here. 

 Irish women's 3x3 team who competed at the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup Qualifiers in Kosovo, 2026. (From left to right: Maura Fitzpatrick, Hazel Finn, Claire Melia, Abigail Rafferty).

What is the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup?

The FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup is the European Championships of basketball's 3x3 format. It brings together 12 teams who qualify for the tournament either through their FIBA World Ranking or through qualifying events throughout the year. 

This September will be the 11th edition of the competition, taking place in Antwerp, Belgium.

The 3x3 basketball format is a fast-paced game played on a half-court, three players per team, with a 12 second-shot clock for 10 minutes. The winning team is the first to 21-points or the team with the most points when the 10-minute period is up.  

The qualifiers allow only one team to qualify per gender. The men’s format allows the top two teams in the groups to advance to the semi-finals, where ultimately the winner of the final goes to Antwerp. The women’s format is slightly different, where the competition will be played in a single round-robin pool, with the top team securing qualification.

You can find the competition portal here.