JINJIANG, China, Feb. 2, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
The Jinjiang Culture & Tourism Group · 2026 "Samaranch Cup" Asian Basketball Masters Invitational Tournament kicked off on Feb. 1 in Jinjiang, a coastal city in Fujian Province in southeast China, bringing together 104 youth and adult teams from across Asia.
The six-day event is co-hosted by the Samaranch Foundation and the Jinjiang Municipal People's Government. The tournament features two categories - youth and adult. The youth competition covers six age groups from U9 to U17, while the adult division adopts the men's 3x3 format.
Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., the vice president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the founder of the Samaranch Foundation, delivered a video address, encouraging athletes to carry forward the Olympic spirit.
Local cultural elements were also featured in the opening ceremony including the "Jintang Dragon Dance," a Jinjiang intangible cultural heritage item that holds a Guinness World Record for the longest luminous dragon dance in the world, measuring 297.88 meters.
Later that evening, the first match of the tournament saw Jinjiang's Nanyin Sports (U17) face off against Malaysia's Selangor Basketball Association (U17).
According to the organizers, a series of parallel events will take place during the tournament, including an Olympic-themed Lecture Series, an Asian youth basketball salon, and a cultural visit of Wulin in Jinjiang for international players.
Jinjiang, a national sports industry base renowned as "China's Footwear Capital," produces around 1.5 billion pairs of athletic shoes annually - accounting for approximately one-fifth of global output - and is home to globally renowned sportswear brands, including Anta, Xtep and 361°. In recent years, guided by the "Jinjiang Experience," the city has developed a comprehensive sports industry chain covering materials research and development, intelligent manufacturing and event operations. Local authorities said the tournament is expected to further boost the city's sports reputation, while promoting public fitness and supporting the integrated development of the sports industry.
Source: Organizing Committee of the Jinjiang Culture & Tourism Group · 2026 "Samaranch Cup" Asian Basketball Masters Invitational Tournament
