Northern Ireland Men’s and Women’s Wheelchair Basketball teams will compete in the IWBF European 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball Commonwealth Games Qualifying Tournament on Saturday 4 April at the David Ross Sports Village, University of Nottingham, England.

Both teams, funded by Sport Northern Ireland and supported by the Sport NI Sports Institute, departed from Belfast International Airport this morning as they travel to Nottingham.

The men’s team will be hoping to replicate their success at the previous European Qualifier in 2022, which secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. For the women’s team, this marks the first time a Northern Ireland side has attempted to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in wheelchair basketball, with the squad aiming to make history this weekend.

The men’s team will face Cyprus, England and Wales in a round-robin format, while the women’s team will take on England and Wales in the same format. In both competitions, results from the round-robin stage will determine semi-final placings, with successful teams earning the opportunity to compete for qualification to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in July.

Disability Sport NI Chief Executive Kevin O’Neill said:

“It was a fantastic achievement for the Men’s side to qualify for Birmingham in 2022, and that success has helped to develop wheelchair basketball in Northern Ireland at grassroots and performance pathways level. The inclusion of the Women’s Team in this year’s qualifiers is another positive step for the sport, creating a further pathway for Northern Irish athletes. Disability Sport NI is very proud to support the Northern Ireland squads, and I would like to wish all players, coaches and staff the very best of luck in Nottingham.”

Disability Sport NI Wheelchair Basketball Performance Pathways Officer and Women’s Head Coach Danny Cooper added:

“These qualifiers represent the culmination of three years of squad preparation, focusing on both individual and team development in 3×3 wheelchair basketball. It has been a privilege to work with this group of players during that time, and I know each of them will relish the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland in Nottingham. We know the event will be highly competitive, so there is a respect for the competition as we look forward to the challenge of competing for a place at Glasgow 2026.”

The squads selected to represent Northern Ireland are:

Northern Ireland Men’s Team
Conn Nagle
Luke Marshall
Matt Rollston
Nathan McCabe

Northern Ireland Women’s Team
Cath Quinn
Katie Morrow
Laura McEvoy
Lisa Boyle

3×3 wheelchair basketball is a fast paced, half-court version of traditional wheelchair basketball played with three players on each team, with each team scoring into a single basket. The format debuted at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and is a Commonwealth sport for both wheelchair athletes and those in the running game.

Northern Ireland Men’s and Women’s Squad travelling to European Commonwealth Qualifiers 2026 (L-R Back Row) Colin Roden (Kukri), Laura Ostler (Performance Analyst), Bjorn Blythe (Physiotherapist) and Danny Cooper (Women’s Head Coach); (L-R Front Row) Paul McKillop (Men’s Head Coach), Luke Marshall, Nathan McCabe, Cath Quinn, Lisa Boyle, Laura McEvoy and Katie Morrow.