Qatar, Germany lands basketball showpieces

Article posted by Coliseum, May 4^th, 2023

Image: Twitter (@FIBAWWC)

The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) has been awarded the hosting rights for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, with all games of the prestigious tournament to be played in the City of Doha.

‘FIBA’ stated that in making their decision, FIBA’s Central Board were impressed by the bid and particularly the elements around the compact geographical nature, unique flexibility with tournament venue scheduling to better serve the fans, as well as an emphasis on sustainability.

Mies (Switzerland)-based the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) – the world governing body for basketball – is an independent association formed by 212 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is recognized as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a non-Governmental sports organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss Civil Code.

The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) is the governing body of basketball in Qatar. The Federation was founded in 1964 and joined FIBA in 1977 and FIBA Asia in 1979.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup, also known as the FIBA World Cup of Basketball or simply the FIBA World Cup, between 1950 and 2010 known as the FIBA World Championship, is an international basketball competition contested by the senior men’s national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

One of the best-connected destinations in the world, Qatar’s capital City, Doha, has direct flights from most of the potential participating countries, while the recently upgraded subway and public transportation network connects all venues, providing a top-class service to all visitors.

With all of the teams playing in the same City, fans can plan everything far in advance and enjoy a unique experience since all venues are within 30 minutes of each other.

Additionally, all venues to be used for FIBA’s flagship men’s event are already constructed, while widely used Green technologies will help in delivering the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 as a carbon-neutral event.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 will engage millions of people in basketball throughout the Middle East and North African (MENA) regions as this is the first time FIBA’s flagship event will have been hosted in this part of the world and will help grow the popularity of basketball even further.

Shared Hamane Niang, FIBA President, “The Central Board was impressed by the submission made by the QBF. I would like to congratulate them on behalf of the Board for the quality of the work they have already completed in putting this bid together. We are very happy to be able to award the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 to Qatar. While we are all looking forward to what we know will be another standout FIBA event when the action starts in Qatar, we will also enjoy the full journey to Doha. The qualification path to the World Cup has been a great success since its introduction in 2017, and we will be ready once again to follow all the action.”

Added Andreas Zagklis, FIBA Secretary General, “I would like to congratulate QBF on their successful bid, and we are very confident that this event will be one of the highest qualities both on and off the court. Importantly, it will be delivered by a skilled and experienced team that has an excellent track record on a wide range of major international sporting events, including world championships or Cups of more than a dozen other top Olympic sports. Additionally, to have all 32 participating teams based in one City for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 will present a unique opportunity for fans to customize their World Cup experience by accessing more games in person than in any other FIBA World Cup over the last 20 years. I believe 2027 will be a special experience in Doha for this flagship FIBA event.”

Germany Lands Women’s Show

‘FIBA’ further stated that the FIBA has awarded the hosting rights for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 to the German Basketball Federation (DBB). The decision was taken by FIBA’s Central Board during a recent meeting held in the Philippines on the eve of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Draw. This will be the second time that Germany will host the women’s flagship tournament, having previously done so in 1998.

The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 will take place during September 2026 in Berlin and will be played at two premium venues, namely the 14,500-capacity Mercedes-Benz Arena Berlin and the 11,900-capacity Max-Schmeling-Halle – the former having been used for the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 Final.

The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, also known as the Basketball World Cup for Women or simply the FIBA Women’s World Cup, is an international basketball tournament for women’s national teams held quadrennially. It was created by the International Basketball Federation.

The German Basketball Federation (DBB) is the governing body for basketball in Germany. It is headquartered in Hagen, Germany.

DBB’s impressive work as co-hosts of the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 played a key role in their award of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026. They hosted the Final Phase of the prestigious competition in the German capital, Berlin, as well as a Group Phase in Cologne, with the event considered to have been one of the most successful editions ever.

It is an exciting time for women’s basketball in Germany since the award of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 comes in the wake of the national team recently confirming their return to the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket for the first time in 12 years. The German Federation has built a 10-year development plan for women’s basketball, in line with FIBA’s ‘Women in Basketball’ strategy, and has placed the flagship event at the heart of its initiatives.

Noted Niang, “The Central Board was very pleased with the submission from the DBB, and I would like to congratulate them on behalf of the Board for the excellent work they have undertaken in putting this bid together. We are delighted to be able to award the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 to Germany. FIBA received interest from several National Federations to organize the next women’s World Cup, confirming the unique momentum for women’s basketball. After the incredible success of the last edition in Sydney, we now look forward to the biggest women’s event in basketball taking place in another iconic City like Berlin. Importantly, we are also looking forward to following what will be an exciting road to the German capital, especially with the introduction of the new Pre-Qualifying Tournaments that will start next year.”

Commented Zagklis, “I would like to congratulate DBB on their successful bid, and we are all now looking forward to a highly productive and successful cooperation during this important planning phase. We are confident that together, we will be able to enhance further the brand and global appeal of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in a City that loves basketball and attracts millions of tourists annually. The women’s game continues to grow worldwide and with the expertise and track record DBB has from hugely successful events, there’s no doubt we will all enjoy another exceptional event.”

The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 will be played with an expanded field of 16 teams and the national teams will qualify through global Qualifying Tournaments. Additionally, with the introduction of the new Pre-Qualifying Tournaments, to be played in 2024, there is now an increased opportunity for even more nations to participate on the road to Berlin.

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