The city’s central square is trading its cobblestones for court lines. On July 19–20, downtown Poznań hosts Basket na Wolności 2025 (Basketball on Liberty Square 2025), a high-energy 3×3 basketball festival blending competition and community. With nearly 300 players, music, freestyle shows, and even an international military face-off, it’s shaping up to be an exciting sports weekend.
Streetball Takes Over the Heart of Poznań
This summer, Plac Wolności in Poznań transforms into a vibrant, open-air basketball court for the first-ever edition of Basket na Wolności 2025 — a two-day festival dedicated to the fast-paced, Olympic discipline of 3×3 basketball. The event marks a major comeback for sport in the city centre, recalling the beloved streetball tournaments of the 1990s that many local fans still remember with nostalgia.
From amateur talent to professional flair, 68 teams from across Poland will battle it out across multiple divisions — including U13, U15, U17 boys, women’s OPEN, and senior-level competitions. Saturday kicks off with the Poznań City Championships for youth and women, while Sunday hosts one of the most anticipated events on the national basketball calendar: the FIBA 3×3 Quest eliminations, a qualifying tournament for the Polish National Championships.
For the first time, the festival will be held not in a closed sports complex but right in the beating heart of the city. And it’s clear the demand was there — due to overwhelming interest, team registrations had to close weeks ahead of time. The tournament has quickly become one of the most talked-about streetball events in Poland, and rightly so.
Basketball, but Make It a Festival
This isn’t just about points on the scoreboard. Organised by Fundacja Jeden Uniwersytet (One University Foundation) and co-financed by the City of Poznań, the festival has been designed to reimagine Plac Wolności as a living, breathing sports and culture venue. Alongside the three tournament courts, fans can visit the Basketball Village — a pop-up fan zone packed with sponsor booths, food stalls, merchandise stands, and interactive basketball experiences.
Expect live DJs setting the pace, freestyle dribbling shows, jaw-dropping slam dunks, and even an exhibition game between American soldiers stationed in Poznań and Polish F-16 pilots from the 31st Tactical Air Base (Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego). The whole event is about reuniting sport, spectacle, and community — all under the open sky.
A City Ready for the Bounce
Poznań has long been a city with basketball in its veins. From the glory days of Polish league rivalries to grassroots tournaments, the city has produced and supported generations of players. And now, with the global popularity of 3×3 basketball surging — thanks in part to its Olympic debut in 2021 — Poznań is seizing its moment.
We’re convinced this city is hungry for basketball. Basket na Wolności 2025 is the event this community has been waiting for.
says Jacek Jóźwiak, of the University School of Physical Education (Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego, AWF).
Indeed, the impressive line-up — including top Polish teams like Polonia 3×3, Legia Lotto, Isetia Warsaw, Toruń Bricks, and Poznań’s own Pyra AZS — speaks to the event’s importance. With close to 300 athletes competing over two days, the tournament promises fierce competition.
Prizes, Prestige, and Passion
The stakes are high. Sunday’s FIBA 3×3 Quest tournament will award 7,500 PLN to the winning team, with 4,500 PLN and 2,000 PLN going to second and third place, respectively. Individual awards will honour the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and top scorer.
Teams like PPW (Poznań Pro Women) in the women’s OPEN division see this as more than a game.
The success of Polish athletes on the international 3×3 stage has elevated the sport and Basket na Wolności 2025 is our chance to show what Polish streetball is all about.
says player Agata Olszewska
More Than Just a Game
The vision behind the festival goes far beyond basketball. Every aspect of Basket na Wolności 2025 — from the design of the courts to the music, shows, and fan experiences — has been carefully planned with the local community at heart. Backed by over 30 committed partners, including strategic sponsors like Kia Delik, Medicover, and PTB Nickel, along with VINCI Immobilier, Biofarm, and MCG Legal, the event is set to leave a meaningful mark on the city.
For the organisers, this festival represents both a tribute to the past and a bold step forward. They remember the days when Plac Wolności buzzed with summer sports tournaments and saw this as an opportunity to revive that spirit. Their goal is to turn this into a recurring celebration that brings people together, breathes new life into the urban space, and becomes a distinctive part of Poznań’s cultural identity.
The City is the Court
From young hopefuls to seasoned pros, Basket na Wolności 2025 is an invitation for everyone in Poznań to take part in something fresh, fast, and full of heart. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just a curious passerby, this festival offers something fun to do this weekend. Don’t miss it!
We had a dream to make this tournament stand out in the Polish 3×3 calendar — not just for the competition, but for the atmosphere. Judging by the early buzz, we’re on the right path.
adds Maciej Stroiński, co-organizer of the festival.
