Uganda Basketball on Quest to play at the Olympics

The Uganda women’s 3×3 Basketball team is aiming to become the first Uganda Team Sport to play at the Olympics. They will also play at the 2026 Commonwealth games in Glasgow.

Avitus Ngabirano

May 25, 2026

3–5 minutes

FIBA 3×3, FUBA, Olympics

Since their first participation in 1956, Team Uganda has never fielded a team sport. However, as LA 28 approaches, Uganda basketball could make history and become the first federation to have a team sport qualify for the prestigious event.

At the moment, the women’s 3×3 basketball team is close to hitting the target and by December 2027, the team will have known their fate.

Road to the Olympics

For the 3×3 basketball, the top ranked teams on the different continents by December 1, 2027, will get direct qualification to the Olympics. As of 22nd May 2025, the Uganda’s ladies are second behind Benin on the African continent. However, not so long ago, Uganda had been number one and thus qualified for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow but after a poor outing at the Africa Cup, Benin overtook them.

If Uganda is to qualify for the Olympics, the best path is to be the top ranked country on the African Continent by December 1, 2027. If that is not the case, they would have to go through other qualifying stages which is expensive and very difficult.

How can Uganda increase their points and rankings?

The FIBA 3×3 Federation Ranking is based on the FIBA 3×3 Individual World Ranking points of their top 20 nationals (with a verified FIBA 3×3 Profile) in the respective category, combining their best results in each of the previous two (2) years respectively, in FIBA 3×3 Official Competitions, FIBA 3×3 Recognised National Team Competitions, and Recognised Qualifiers.

What this means is that the points for the best 20 players in the country are considered. This in turn means that Uganda is supposed to have multiple players participating in 3×3 so as to gain points as they can impact immensely in the overall federation rankings.

The FIBA 3×3 Individual World Ranking is calculated based on the 9 best results in FIBA-endorsed events played in the last 12 months. The number of points earned by a player at an event depends on:

The player’s individual scoring and key statistical performance (when recorded)
The event’s importance in the competition network (ranking color).
The team’s results

Since only the best 9 best results are considered, it is important for players to compete in multiple events as you give yourself a chance to improve and score more points.

Also, not all events weigh the same. For example, the points at the World Cup are different from the points at the U23 World which are also different from the Youth Nations League and local events. The top FIBA 3×3 events like the World Tour, Challenger, Women’s series, and Africa Cup score more.

What has FUBA done?

In order to make sure that Uganda get points. A lot of 3×3 basketball will be played by the ladies. As things stand, Uganda is expected to send the senior team for the 3×3 Women’s series, the Youth Nations League will also have a U23 team and a U21 team.

In addition to that, there will be a 3×3 League after the end of the NBL. All this will help players gather points which will contribute significantly to the overall ranking of Uganda.

In the last 2 years, Uganda has won the 3×3 Youth Nations Nations League and played at the U23 World Cup. This time round though, winning alone will not be enough. Uganda will have to fight to make sure they will every game and if possible score the 21 points.

Additionally, Key assists, drives, dunks, blocks, buzzer beaters and limited turnovers also increase on the points collected by a player in the different games.

If Uganda can win all the games at the Youth Nations league in 2026 and 2027, a humongous number of points will be collected. Also, if the senior team can perform well at the Women’s series and the Africa Cup, Uganda will put themselves in comfortable position to qualify for the Olympics as the number one ranked team in Africa.

Preparation has already started for the senior team, U23 team and the U21 team. The senior team shall be playing at the women’s series, Orleans, June 16-17, Marseille, June 26-27, Poitiers, July 3-4.