FIBA, basketball’s international governing body, has announced Qatar will stage its flagship men’s Basketball World Cup in 2027, while Germany will host the women’s edition in 2026.
The two hosts were announced today (April 28) at FIBA’s Central Board meeting in the Philippines, ahead of the draw for the men's 2023 World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan from August 25 to September 10.
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The 2027 edition will be the first time a Basketball World Cup has been staged in the Middle East, with all games due to be held in the country’s capital Doha. All 30 venues earmarked for the event are already constructed and located within 30 minutes of each other.
FIBA’s Central Board said it chose the Qatar Basketball Federation’s (QBF) bid due to its “compact geographical nature,” “unique flexibility,” and “emphasis on sustainability,” as well as the city’s recently upgraded subway and public transport network.
Qatar invested heavily in its infrastructure ahead of staging soccer’s flagship 2022 FIFA World Cup in November and December, making it an ideal location for other major sporting events.
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FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said: “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.
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By GlobalData“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.”
Along with awarding the men’s Basketball World Cup, FIBA also announced Germany as the host of the women’s tournament in 2026.
The event is scheduled for September, with Arena Berlin and Max-Schmeling Halle featured as premium venues for the tournament. Arena Berlin previously staged last year’s EuroBasket final.
Germany last hosted the event in 1998 and as part of its bid, the German Basketball Federation (DBB) created a 10-year development plan for women’s basketball centered around the World Cup.
The 2026 edition will feature 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 last Women’s World Cup was staged in Sydney, Australia, from September 22 to October 1 last year and was won by the US.
FIBA president Hamane Niang said: “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 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.”
