MIES (Switzerland) – On the occasion of its 11th edition, the FIBA Open welcomed over 300 teams to the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball for a joyful weekend.
Established in 2015 to open the doors of the FIBA Headquarters to the surrounding communities, the FIBA Open has evolved into one of the largest grassroots 3x3 basketball tournaments in the world.
On June 14 and 15, over 1100 players of all generations, genders, and capabilities came together to celebrate the game in a safe and inclusive environment.
The teams were split into 18 different categories, allowing anyone to take part in the event.
For the fourth consecutive year, the FIBA Open welcomed a delegation of Special Olympic athletes, setting a new record with 13 participating teams from all over Europe and Asia. This event marks a step in Special Olympics’ preparation for the inaugural Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup.
A Mini Basketball court welcomed numerous sessions introducing basketball to children through fun games, meanwhile, the four wheelchair teams competed on the main court.
Alongside the games, the visitors and players also had the opportunity to discover the FIBA Museum, which offered multiple activities such as guided tours, quizzes, board games, and vertical jump challenges.
Since 2024, the FIBA Open has become a fundraising event for projects supported by the FIBA Foundation. This year, all the profits of the event will be donated to Mudando O Placar, an organization based in Rocinha, the biggest favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
On this occasion, FIBA Foundation Youth Leader and funder of the project, Layana de Souza, traveled to Switzerland to raise awareness about her incredible work.
The FIBA Foundation also extends its heartfelt thanks to the 145 volunteers and referees who contributed their time and effort to the success of the event.
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The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.
The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.