Launched in 2012, the annual World Tour is the flagship event of 3x3 basketball and sees teams representing cities from around the world compete at numerous Masters events and a Final. 

Mexico City is due to host the first event of the season on July 16 and 17, while Japanese city Utsunomiya is scheduled to stage the second on July 30 and 31.

Two events are set to take place the following month with Czech Republic’s capital Prague welcoming the world's best 3x3 players on August 6 and 7 and the Olympic Capital Lausanne doing so on August 26 and 27.

Debrecen in Hungary, host of last year’s 3x3 Under-18 World Championships, is due to hold an event for the first time on September 7 and 8, while Beijing will stage the sixth leg on  September 16 and 17 and Rio de Janeiro the seventh on September 23 and 24.

For the second year in a row, the World Tour is set to culminate with the Final in United Arab Emirates' capital Abu Dhabi on October 27 and 28.

The winners of each stage and the best teams in the overall World Tour standings after the last Masters event will qualify for the final.

The UAE’s Novi Sad Al Wahda have won the last two editions of the World Tour.

Their top scorer Dusan Domovic Bulut is the current leader of the FIBA 3x3 individual world ranking.

A dunk contest and a shoot-out contest will take place at each World Tour event.

The overall prize money offered by the World Tour and its qualifiers is set to top $300,000 (£208,000/€267,000) this year.

FIBA have high hopes that 3x3 basketball could be added to the Olympic programme.

The governing body’s media and marketing director Frank Leenders told insidethegames expectations were positive for inclusion in time for Tokyo 2020.