Basketball

Basketball was invented in December 1891 by Canadian James W. Naismith, an instructor at the YMCA Training School in Massachusetts, USA. Seeking an engaging indoor sport to keep his students active during the harsh New England winters, Naismith devised 13 original rules, many of which are still followed today. In 1893, the first women’s basketball game was played at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Basketball became an official Olympic medal sport for men at the Berlin 1936 Games and for women at the Montreal 1976 Games. At the Olympic Games, basketball matches are played in four periods of 10 minutes each. The men’s and women’s tournaments each feature 12 teams. All teams must qualify through continental championships held one year prior to the Games, with the exception of the host nation and reigning world champions.

3x3 basketball made its international debut at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Following its success, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) established a dedicated programme for 3x3, introducing its own circuit of competitions, including the FIBA 3x3 World Championships as the premier event.

The format was officially added to the Olympic programme at Tokyo 2020 and continued at Paris 2024, where it was met with widespread acclaim. Team Qatar has seen notable success in 3x3 basketball, capturing the 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Championship title, the U18 World Championship title in 2016, and a silver medal at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. Looking ahead, Qatar is set to host the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2027, marking another milestone in the country’s growing legacy in international basketball.