England to host 3×3 Commonwealth Games qualifier at NBPC in May

England will host the Glasgow 2026 Home Nations 3×3 Basketball Qualification Event at the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester on May 22-23, with a place at this summer’s Commonwealth Games on the line.

FIBA 3×3 and Commonwealth Sport confirmed that Team England and Basketball England will stage the men’s and women’s tournaments, which will feature England, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland and Wales competing in round robin formats before a winner-takes-all final.

The winner of each final books their ticket to Glasgow, where 3×3 basketball will be held at the Scottish Exhibition Campus from July 24-29. England’s men will be defending the Commonwealth title they won in Birmingham, while the women will be looking to go one better than their silver medal.

“This is a huge milestone on the calendar for this year’s Commonwealth Games basketball programme,” said BE 3×3 Development Manager Meehra Gorasia. “Under the lights at the NBPC, fans will be treated to a taste of what’s to come this summer.

“If Team England want to be able to defend their men’s title and the women retain their silver or go one better from Birmingham, then this is their first real test.”

The field for Glasgow is almost complete. Scotland qualify automatically as hosts, with the men’s competition already featuring Fiji, Nigeria, Singapore, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Guyana. The women’s side includes Fiji, Kenya, Uganda, Singapore, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga alongside the Scots.

The Home Nations Qualifier winner will take the final European slot in each draw, completing a 12-team field for both competitions.

Manchester City Council’s Cllr John Hacking backed the city’s credentials as host: “Hosting this Home Nations 3×3 qualifier reinforces Manchester’s position as the UK’s leading basketball city. We are proud that the National Basketball Performance Centre will provide the perfect stage.”

Tickets are on sale now, with the event expected to sell out.

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games run from July 23 to August 2, with 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball tournaments at the SEC Centre.