The league will commence on the 9 March (the day after IWD) and will be hosted at the Regal and Jordan Court at the Black Prince Trust in Lambeth, South London.
Twenty-four teams are expected to compete in the league, which will run on the second Sunday of every month for the next eight months. As well as the chance to win the inaugural league, the competition format will feature a playoff, with teams competing for silverware.
The league will also act as an opportunity for female officials, referees and coaches to continue their professional development.
For the launch event, a number of influential women from the London basketball community, including London Region Chair Patricia Fairclough OBE, founder and owner of Newham Youngbloods Basketball Club Caroline Charles, National Basketball League and Super League Basketball referee Gabbi Boateng, London All Stars coach Ruth Eytle and Coach Developer of the Year 2024 Lisa Williams and London Lions’ D’andri St Marthe will each give keynote addresses to empower their peers and stress that women can succeed in the sport no matter the role.
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Basketball England on the London Region Women’s 3x3 League.
"At Black Prince Trust, we’ve been running Muslim-friendly basketball sessions for nearly three years, recognising the need for more opportunities within a community that often doesn’t get the visibility it deserves.
“What started as a single session has now grown into three weekly sessions, empowering female participants to play sport—especially the best sport on the planet, basketball. With the support of Basketball England, we are not only celebrating the incredible women in our BPT community but also laying the foundation for an initiative that will inspire and uplift for years to come."
“I grew up playing basketball in East and Central London for over 25 years, and sadly, saw our Ladies London League shrink from three divisions to one during that time. So, I am really pleased to see the capital city taking the reins and driving women’s basketball forward through this ground-breaking initiative – yep, simply providing more opportunities for women to play basketball.
"Launching on what is a recognised as a landmark weekend for women all over the world, there is no better platform to showcase female sport and the determination of our London basketball community of players, coaches and official to make this work. I wish them every success and enjoyment.”
Additionally, the London Coaches Program – run collaboratively by BE, the NBA and the Mayor of London – will also be hosting a coaching workshop as part of the IWD celebrations the day before.
"The closed event is for women starting their coaching journey. They will learn the fundamentals of coaching players aged 8-14 within their communities, with a focus on participation.
“We look forward to supporting them and providing more opportunities for women to coach."
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