FIBA announced hosts for future World Cups
The 2026 and 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cups will be held in Germany and Qatar, respectively, according to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). A day prior to the 2023 FIBA World Cup draw, which will be held in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia, the choice was decided. Get the latest updates in NBA and more here!
Berlin will stage the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in September, marking the second time Germany hosts since 1998. Meanwhile, for the first time in the history of the competition, Qatar will host a Basketball World Cup with all games due to be held in the country’s capital Doha. FIBA did not announce dates, but the event is usually held during the NBA offseason in August and September.
“I would like to congratulate QBF on their successful bid, and we are very confident that this event will be one of the highest-quality both on and off the court,” FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said. Zagkils also highlighted that there will be 32 participating teams based in one city for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027. “I believe 2027 will be a special experience in Doha for this flagship FIBA event,” Zagklis added.
Meanwhile, Germany last hosted the event in 1998. The 2026 edition is set to introduce an expanded field of 16 teams, up from last year’s 12 and national teams will qualify through international tournaments. There will also be new pre-qualifying tournaments starting next year to increase the opportunity for teams to reach the World Cup finals.
“The Central Board was very pleased with the submission from 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,” FIBA president Hamane Niang said. “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.”
The last Women’s World Cup was staged in Sydney, Australia, from September 22 to October 1 last year. The U.S. women won the last four World Cups (the most recent in 2022), where the champion typically qualifies for the Olympics. The U.S. may get an automatic spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as host. Both Germany and Qatar expressed an interest in staging the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics.
