JINJIANG, China, Feb. 02, 2026 — The Jinjiang Culture & Tourism Group · 2026 “Samaranch Cup” Asian Basketball Masters Invitational Tournament got underway on Feb. 1 in Jinjiang, a coastal city in southeastern China’s Fujian Province, gathering 104 youth and adult teams from throughout Asia.
The six-day event is jointly hosted by the Samaranch Foundation and the Jinjiang Municipal People’s Government. The tournament has two divisions — youth and adult. The youth competition includes six age groups from U9 to U17, while the adult section uses the men’s 3×3 format.
Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., vice president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and founder of the Samaranch Foundation, delivered a video address encouraging athletes to uphold 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 the Guinness World Record for the longest luminous dragon dance globally, measuring 297.88 meters.
Later that evening, the tournament’s first match saw Jinjiang’s Nanyin Sports (U17) face off against Malaysia’s Selangor Basketball Association (U17).
According to organizers, a series of parallel events will take place during the tournament, such as an Olympic-themed Lecture Series, an Asian youth basketball salon, and a cultural visit to Wulin in Jinjiang for international players.
Jinjiang, a national sports industry base known as “China’s Footwear Capital,” produces around 1.5 billion pairs of athletic shoes annually — accounting for roughly one-fifth of global output — and is home to world-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 stated 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
CONTACT: Contact person: Mr. Lin, Tel: 86-10-63074558
