The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is gearing up to be an exciting showcase of the best international basketball players.
The tournament is set to take place in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10, 2023.
In total, this highly anticipated tournament will bring together 32 teams from across the globe. There will be 92 games that’ll be played in 16 days, so that’s a lot of matches that fans can get into.
We can surely expect a thrilling display of skill, competition, and the sheer passion that defines the world of basketball in this tournament.
Planning on following the competition so you can bet on your favorites? Here’s everything we know about this prestigious tournament before you look for the best 2023 FIBA World Cup odds.
The Birth of FIBA and the Evolution of the World Cup
The International Basketball Federation(FIBA) is responsible for this tournament, and it’s a governing body that’s been around since 1932.
However, it wasn’t until 1984 that they came up with the idea of a World Championship for basketball. This was inspired by the success of the Olympic basketball tournament that year.
Renato William Jones, the FIBA secretary-general at that time was the one who put together the concept of a World Championship similar to the FIFA World Cup.
The proposal gained traction, and in 1950, the inaugural FIBA World Championship, later known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup, took place in Argentina. The tournament’s first edition featured ten teams, including the three Olympic medalists, the host country Argentina, and teams from Europe, Asia, and South America.
Over the years, the World Cup has witnessed various format changes and expansions. The tournament initially followed a double-elimination format, followed by a round-robin stage to determine the champion.
As the popularity and global reach of basketball grew, more teams and continents embraced the sport, leading to the inclusion of regional championships and formalized qualification processes.
Notably, the 1994 FIBA World Championship held in Canada marked a turning point for the tournament.
It was the first time that currently active NBA players, who had already played in official NBA regular season games, were allowed to participate. This helped elevate the competition as it brought together the best players from around the world.
In recent years, FIBA has continued to refine the World Cup, introducing changes to the competition calendar and qualifying process.
The tournament expanded to 32 teams in 2019, allowing for increased participation and creating a platform for even more nations to compete against each other for basketball supremacy.
Today, the FIBA Basketball World Cup stands as the pinnacle of international basketball, captivating fans worldwide and uniting nations through the love of the game.
Global Gathering of Elite Teams
The FIBA World Cup has always been a platform for the best basketball teams from around the world to battle it out on the court
The competition allows basketball enthusiasts to witness a plethora of international talents.
Here’s a list of all the teams participating in this year’s tournament:
Japan, Philippines, Angola, Australia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, South Sudan, Spain, USA, Venezuela, and Serbia.
FIBA 2023 Groups and Venues
All teams participating will be divided into groups, and every team will play against the three other teams in the same group. So, for each group, there will be a total of 48 games with 3 games per team and 6 games per group.
Groups A and B will be played in Manila, at the Araneta Coliseum. Meanwhile, Groups C and D will be playing at the MOA Arena also in the Philippines.
Groups E and F will be playing in Okinawa at the Okinawa Arena, and Groups G and H will be playing in Jakarta at the Indonesia Arena.
The top two teams from each group will proceed to the second round of the competition. On the other hand, the bottom two teams from each group will be playing in the Classification Round.
See the guide below to know team groupings:
Group A: Angola, Dominican Republic, Italy, Philippines
Group B: China, Puerto Rico, Serbia, South Sudan
Group C: Greece, Jordan, New Zealand, USA
Group D: Egypt, Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro
Group E: Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan
Group F: Cape Verde, Georgia, Slovenia, Venezuela
Group G: Brazil, Côte d’ivoire, Iran, Spain
Group H: Canada, France, Latvia, Lebanon
Wrapping Up
The tournament promises to deliver a captivating display of international basketball talent, showcasing the skills, athleticism, and determination of the world’s best players. FIBA 2023’s 1st round of the Group Phase will start on August 25, 2023.
The Final is scheduled on September 10, 2023, in the Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippines.