UI SET TO HOST 22 UNIVERSITIES FOR FASU AFRO- VARSITY 3×3 CHAMPIONSHIP

By Simchia

In just two days, the basketball court next to Obafemi Awolowo Hall is going to be buzzing with excitement as it hosts the 8th FASU Afro-Varsity 3x3 Basketball Challenge. This major event will bring together twenty-two universities from seven African countries, all coming to the University of Ibadan to battle in a continental championship. The University of Ibadan will not just be participating; it is the venue where the continent will come together to compete. This is a huge deal, and the university is ready to put on a great show.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from May 28 to June 1, 2026.

The University of Ibadan was officially announced as host of the African University Sports tournament by the Federation of African University Sports in February. Since then, a Local Organising Committee, led by Professor Oladipo Dele Isiaka, who is also the Chairman of the University Sports Council, has been busy making preparations. This is no easy task, as a campus normally used for quiet lectures now has to accommodate athletes, coaches, technical officials, and sports administrators from across Africa.

However, there is a lot to consider: where will all the delegations stay? How will people move between halls and venues? What medical services will be available? And, of course, there are concerns about security and ensuring proper accreditation. It is a huge undertaking, but the committee is working to ensure everything runs smoothly, transforming the campus into a dynamic continental sports hub.

Professor Isiaka seems completely at ease and, if he has any concerns, he is not letting them show.

The competition is open to university students between the ages of 17 and 25. To participate, teams must have a verified FIBA 3x3 account, allowing them to earn official ranking points. The top two teams in both the men's and women's categories will represent Africa at the FISU 3x3 World Cup, the world championship for university basketball.

If you start on Barth Road, you can make it all the way to the top. And the competition will be fierce.

Uganda Christian University is back to defend its title after winning the 7th edition last June with a nail-biting 21–19 victory over Kenya's USIU-Africa. It came down to the final possession, but UCU emerged victorious. As reigning Afro-Varsity champions, they have built a reputation for producing talented players, many of whom have gone on to compete at the FISU World Cup in China. Now they are headed to Ibadan, and all eyes are on them. However, they will not be alone. Universities from countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, and Senegal have also signed up.

Delegates from across the continent are making travel arrangements. Soon, student-athletes from cities such as Kampala, Nairobi, and Kigali will stand on the same court, competing for a place at the World Cup. The same concrete students walk past every day will soon become the stage for something much greater.

Chidiebere Ezeani, a member of the FASU Executive, is calling for widespread media coverage and support from stakeholders to make the event a success and show the world what African universities are capable of. He knows how much is riding on this. For him, this is about demonstrating the ability of African universities to organise, execute, and project a positive image of African university sports to a global audience.

The university has a rich history of hosting major sporting events, dating back to 1966 when the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) was founded on its campus. In fact, the first NUGA Games were held here, as were the first West African University Games in 1965. Over the years, the University of Ibadan has hosted NUGA four times: 1966, 1976, 1986, and 2002.

Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, the Vice-Chancellor, sees it as more than just a competition. He says it is a way for people from different cultures to connect, build friendships, and come together as a continent.

The game is played in a 3x3 basketball format, a half-court version that has become an Olympic sport. Each team has three players competing on a single basket, with a twelve-second shot clock and a ten-minute game clock. It is fast-paced and intense, with everything happening right in front of you. There is nowhere to hide; every player is involved. Every mistake is visible, and every good play is noticed immediately.

The court on Barth Road has a lot of stories to tell. It is where players practise late into the night, shooting by instinct as the ochre sun fades away. Whether for intense competition or casual games, the court is always alive with activity.

But it has never seen this.

For a few days, the familiar sound of basketballs bouncing on Barth Road will take on a whole new meaning. It will cease to be just a casual game between friends during breaks from lectures. It will become a sign that the university still knows how to put on a great show, still knows how to rise to the occasion, and still knows how to bring people from across Africa together on its own turf.

The defending champions are coming. The rest of the continent is coming. And the court on Barth Road is waiting.