The Third Asian Schools 3×3 Basketball Championship opened on September 24, 2026, at Nanhu Square in Yueyang, bringing together 19 youth teams from nine Asian countries and regions. Tang Haoran, deputy secretary of the municipal party committee and acting mayor of Yueyang, attended the opening ceremony and declared the tournament underway.
Third Asian Schools 3×3 Basketball Championship Opens in Yueyang
Tournament Organization and International Collaboration
The championship is organized by the Asian School Sports Federation, co-hosted by the China Student Sports Federation and the Yueyang Municipal People’s Government, and operated by China Education Sports under the Hunan Culture, Tourism and Sports Group. Operating under the theme “The World’s Yueyang, Basketball Powers Asia,” the event focuses on the dual objectives of educating through sports and promoting cultural integration.
During the opening ceremonies, Asian School Sports Federation President Teng Lianshuai noted that the tournament serves as a practical platform to strengthen regional school sports cooperation and build foundations for youth athletic exchanges. Chen Beibei, deputy secretary-general of the joint secretariat of the Ministry of Education’s Student Sports Association, emphasized the role of sports in transcending cultural boundaries and encouraging participating athletes to respect rules while broadening their international perspectives.
Yueyang’s Hosting Background and Local Engagement
Yueyang municipal leaders, including Wei Shuping, Zhang Shiyu, and Li Yongbo, attended the opening events. Wei Shuping stated that the host city aims to deliver an event characterized by ecological design, cultural elements, and international standards. Past major athletic events hosted in the city include the first National Youth Three Major Ball Games, the 14th Hunan Provincial Games, and the World Dragon Boat Championships, bolstered by local traditions tied to the Miluo River dragon boat culture.
Beyond competition venues near Dongting Lake, organizers scheduled cultural excursions for visiting players, including tours of Yueyang Tower and the Yueyang Chinese Giant Panda Garden. Local tourism authorities coordinated transportation and hospitality services to accommodate the international delegations throughout the tournament duration.