GOLD COAST (Australia) - A major milestone for 3x3 basketball in Oceania has been achieved as the Pacific Mini Games will now officially serve as both a FIBA 3x3 Nations League event and a Commonwealth Games qualifier for the region.
For the first time, the champion team per gender at the Pacific Mini Games will earn direct qualification to the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup, providing young Pacific athletes with an unprecedented opportunity to compete on the world stage.
This milestone underscores FIBA's commitment to developing 3x3 basketball globally, aligning with FIBA’s strategic Priorities to Empower National Federations and to make 3x3 the most thrilling Urban Sport, and to further develop and promote basketball in Oceania.
Amanda Jenkins, FIBA Oceania Executive Director, hailed this development as a transformative step for 3x3 basketball in the region:
“This is a groundbreaking opportunity for 3x3 basketball in Oceania.
"By integrating the Pacific Mini Games into a FIBA 3x3 Youth Nations League conference, we are providing young athletes with a clear and structured pathway to elite-level competition," she added. "This move will elevate the sport in our region and offer much-needed international exposure to our emerging talents.”
Beyond its role in the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup qualification, the Pacific Mini Games will now play a crucial role in determining Oceania’s representation at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
With 12 teams per gender set to compete at the Commonwealth Games, qualification will be determined through four pathways:
Automatic Qualification
– Host nation (Scotland).
Direct Qualification
– The highest-placed Commonwealth country at the Pacific Mini Games.
Regional Qualification
– Top-ranked Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) in each of the six Commonwealth regions (Oceania, Africa, Americas, Asia, Caribbean, and Europe).
Global Ranking Qualification
– Two best-ranked CGAs in the FIBA 3x3 Federation Rankings (as of December 1, 2025) that have not yet qualified.
This structure means that national teams from Oceania have the potential to secure up to four spots in total.
Jenkins emphasized the significance of this development for the region’s basketball landscape:
“With the Pacific Mini Games now playing a key role in Commonwealth Games qualification, Oceania’s emerging basketball nations have a real shot at competing on one of the biggest sporting stages. The ranking points from the Nations League will be a game-changer in improving the standings of our National Federations.”
The integration of the Pacific Mini Games into the FIBA 3x3 Nations League system and the Commonwealth Games qualification pathway is a historic step for the sport in Oceania. Not only does it provide an elite development structure for young 3x3 athletes, but it also strengthens the region’s presence on the global basketball stage.
FIBA