Eighteen teams, ten in the men's bracket, eight in the women will compete for two places at the Red Bull Half Court World Final in Manila, Philippines, this December.

From Three Cities to One Court

The national field was assembled through a series of city qualifiers held across South Africa, with squads emerging from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to earn their spot in Soweto. Wild card entries have topped up the roster, setting the stage for a single-day knockout event that organisers describe as a full circuit of streetball, culminating in national champions crowned by evening.

Doors open at 10:00, with competition and entertainment running through to 20:00. The event is open to spectators aged 18 and over, with free entry available via RSVP.

Title Defence on the Line

The men's competition carries a storyline of continuity: MBB Blue Soldiers, captained by Lebesa Selepe, won South Africa's inaugural Red Bull Half Court title last year and went on to represent the country at the World Final in Dubai. They return to Soweto as the team to beat, facing nine challengers for the right to defend their crown on the global stage.

The women's draw tells a different story. Defending champions Hoop Hustlers are not part of this year's field, guaranteeing a new name on the trophy. Five teams: Blue Flames, Buckets & Bruises, Ghiv Us, Size Nenye and The Takeover will contest a wide-open bracket for the national title and a ticket to Manila.

The Format: Fast, Physical, Unforgiving

Red Bull Half Court is played three-on-three on a single half of the court, with matches capped at 10 minutes or ending the moment a team reaches 21 points — whichever comes first. The compressed format rewards aggression from the opening possession rather than a slow build.

A distinctive feature of the competition is its "Own the Court" bonus: in each group, one additional team advances to the next round based on cumulative points scored across all its games, regardless of individual match results. The mechanic means a team can lose a game and still progress on scoring output, keeping every possession — win or lose — meaningful to the standings.

More Than a Tournament

Organisers have built the National Final into a broader entertainment event rather than a straight knockout. The day's programme includes:

• A live performance from Kamo Mphela, bringing a festival-scale music component to the basketball card

• Red Bull Run The Racks, a shooting challenge hosted by Lethal Shooter that puts spectators' skills to the test

• An open dunk contest, giving both competing players and attending fans a shot at the rim

• A 1v1 side competition, offering a route into the action for players whose teams didn't make the knockout stage

The Field

Men's Teams

• Bucket Boys (Durban) - Captain Prince Bambi

• Cape Town New Masters (Cape Town) - Captain Vincent Ntunja

• Cape Town Thunder (Cape Town) - Captain Stewart Morgan

• Elite Pace Academy (Johannesburg) - Captain Oteng Khati

• Fantastic 4 (Durban) - Captain Lehlohonolo Mhlongo

• LXG (Johannesburg) - Captain Prince Dube

• MBB Blue Soldiers (Johannesburg) - Captain Lebesa Selepe, reigning national champions

• Seal Team 6 (Johannesburg) - Captain Lesedi Letlotlo Mputle

• Spartans (Johannesburg)- Captain Lebogang David Bassie

• Tala Hady (Johannesburg) -Captain Thabo Bandile Gumede

Women's Teams

• Blue Flames (Cape Town) - Captain Alika Meyerkort

• Buckets & Bruises (Durban) - Captain Fatimah Chiliza

• Ghiv Us (Johannesburg) - Captain Ipeleng Nyatlo

• Size Nenye (Cape Town) - Captain Chulumanco Yiko

• The Takeover (Johannesburg) - Captain Lauren Fredericks

What's at Stake in Manila

The stakes extend well beyond bragging rights in Soweto. Whoever wins the men's and women's finals on 22 August will carry South Africa's colours to the Red Bull Half Court World Final in Manila on 5 December 2026, where they'll face national champions from around the globe for the international title the same trajectory MBB Blue Soldiers followed to Dubai a year ago.

For a format built on speed, scoring efficiency and margin-thin possessions, the National Final is shaping up as both a showcase of South Africa's 3x3 depth and a genuine proving ground for the country's next international representatives.

Event Details

• Event: Red Bull Half Court South Africa, National Final

• Date: Saturday, 22 August 2026

• Time: From 12:00 till late

• Venue: Klipspruit Sports Centre, 1244 Mofokeng Street, Soweto

• Entry: Free (RSVP required) | Ages 18+

• More info: redbull.com/za-en/events/red-bull-half-court