Red Bull Half Court 2025. Handout photo.MANILA — The Philippines will host the 2026 Red Bull Half Court World Finals on December 5, bringing national champions from 13 countries to Manila for the global 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
The event will be staged across two venues, with the group phase taking place at Fort Santiago in Intramuros before the Finals move to Bonifacio Global City (BGC) the following day.
The tournament, which features a fast-paced 3-on-3 format, will see national champions compete for the Red Bull Half Court world title.
“Manila is built for this format. It’s a city where basketball isn’t just watched, it’s lived,” said Paul Gudde, Red Bull Half Court global sports director.
“Bringing the World Finals here is about connecting the global 3-on-3 community with a place that truly understands what playground basketball is all about.”
The sixth season of Red Bull Half Court has featured competitions in countries including Egypt, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, Sweden and Ukraine, with 13 national champions set to compete in Manila.
The Philippines will be represented by JSKILLS in the men’s division and Pilipinas Aguilas in the women’s division after they won their respective national titles.
India’s men’s champions, Team 911, and North Macedonia’s Team Sinatra have also secured spots in the World Finals, while Egypt will be represented by Team Hustlers and Bad Luck.
The Manila event will also feature several personalities from the global streetball scene, including Grayson “The Professor” Boucher, shooting coach Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews, Polish dunker Piotr “Grabo” Grabowski and Filipino dunker David “Air David” Carlos.
Boucher, who has previously visited the Philippines, said he is looking forward to returning for the World Finals.
“The Philippines is one of my favorite countries to visit because the fans love basketball/streetball culture,” Boucher said. “I can’t wait to come over for the Red Bull Half Court World Finals to do some park takeovers and see the best 3v3 streetball teams from around the globe.”
Matthews, meanwhile, said the Philippines’ appreciation for shooting makes the event particularly fitting for Manila.
“I have been to Manila multiple times and am always impressed by the level of passion for basketball that the athletes have,” Matthews said. “In particular, there’s a huge appreciation for the art of shooting in Manila.”
Red Bull Half Court games are capped at 10 minutes, with the first team to reach 21 points winning. The pool phase also features an “own the court bonus,” awarded to the team with the most scoring points, while two designated three-point circles behind the arc add another scoring option.
The tournament began in 2021 and has previously held its World Finals in Rome, Cairo, Belgrade, New York City and Dubai.
Meanwhile, Red Bull Half Court is also inviting local designers, street art enthusiasts and basketball fans to submit designs for a basketball court through its Design My Court initiative. Entries will be accepted from September 28 to October 21.