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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,[1] is an international basketball competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sport's global governing body. It is considered the flagship event of FIBA.[2]

The tournament structure is similar, but not identical, to that of the FIFA World Cup; both of these international competitions were played in the same year from 1970 through 2014. A parallel event for women's teams, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, is also held quadrennially. From 1986 through 2014, the men's and women's championships were held in the same year, though in different countries. The current format of the tournament involves 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation. The winning team receives the Naismith Trophy, first awarded in 1967. The current champions are Spain, who defeated Argentina in the final of the 2019 tournament.

Following the 2014 FIBA championships for men and women, the men's World Cup was scheduled on a new four-year cycle to avoid conflict with the FIFA World Cup. The men's World Cup was held in 2019, in the year following the FIFA World Cup. The women's championship, which was renamed from "FIBA World Championship for Women" to "FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup", after its 2014 edition, will remain on the previous four-year cycle, with championships in the same year as the FIFA World Cup.

The 1994 FIBA World Championship, which was held in Canada, was the first FIBA World Cup tournament in which currently active US NBA players, that had also already played in an official NBA regular season game, were allowed to participate. All FIBA World Championship/World Cup tournaments since then, are thus considered as fully professional level tournaments.

History[]

The FIBA Basketball World Cup was conceived at a meeting of the FIBA World Congress at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.[3] Long-time FIBA Secretary-General Renato William Jones urged FIBA to adopt a World Championship, similar to the FIFA World Cup, to be held in every four years between Olympiads. The FIBA Congress, seeing how successful the 23-team Olympic tournament was that year, agreed to the proposal, beginning with a tournament in 1950. Argentina was selected as host, largely because it was the only country willing to take on the task.[4] Argentina took advantage of the host selection, winning all their games en route to becoming the first FIBA World Champion.

The first five tournaments were held in South America, and teams from the Americas dominated the tournament, winning eight of nine medals at the first three tournaments. By 1963, however, teams from Eastern Europe (the Soviet Union) and Southeast Europe (Yugoslavia), in particular – began to catch up to the teams from the American continents. Between 1963 and 1990, the tournament was dominated by the United States, the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Brazil who together accounted for every medal at the tournament.

The 1994 FIBA World Championship held in Toronto marked the beginning of a new era, as currently active American NBA players participated in the tournament for the first time (prior to that only European and South American professionals were allowed to participate as they were still classified as amateurs),[5][6] while the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia split into many new states. The United States dominated that year and won gold, while the former states of the USSR and Yugoslavia, Russia and Croatia, won silver and bronze. The 1998 FIBA World Championship, held in Greece (Athens and Piraeus), lost some of its luster when the 1998–99 NBA lockout prevented NBA players from participating. The new Yugoslavian team, now consisting of the former Yugoslav republics of Serbia and Montenegro, won the gold medal over Russia, while the USA, with professional basketball players playing in Europe and two college players, finished third.

In 2002, other nations eventually caught up to the four powerhouse countries and their successor states. FR Yugoslavia, led by Peja Stojaković of the Sacramento Kings and Dejan Bodiroga of FC Barcelona won the final game against Argentina, while Dirk Nowitzki, who was the tournament's MVP, led Germany to the bronze, its first ever World Championship medal. Meanwhile, the United States team, this time made up of NBA players, struggled to a sixth-place finish. This new era of parity convinced FIBA to expand the tournament to 24 teams for the 2006, 2010, and 2014 editions of the tournament.[7][8]

In 2006, emerging powerhouse Spain beat Greece in the first appearance in the final for both teams. Spain became only the seventh team (Yugoslavia and FR Yugoslavia are counted separately in the FIBA records)[9] to capture a World Championship gold. The USA, who lost to Greece in a semi-final, won against Argentina in the third-place match and claimed bronze.

In the 2010 FIBA World Championship final, the USA defeated Turkey and won gold for the first time in 16 years, while Lithuania beat Serbia and won bronze. The United States became the third country to defend the championship, winning against Serbia at the 2014 edition of the tournament. France beat Lithuania in the bronze medal game.

After the 2014 edition, FIBA instituted significant changes to the World Cup. The final competition was expanded from 24 to 32 teams. Also, for the first time since 1967, the competition would no longer overlap with the FIFA World Cup. To accommodate this change, the 2014 FIBA World Cup was followed by a 2019 edition in China,[10] followed by a 2023 edition in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia,[11] and the 2027 tournament in Qatar, the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world.

Total times teams hosted by confederation
Confederations and years italicized & in bold have an upcoming competition.
Confederation Total (Hosts) Years
FIBA Africa 0  
FIBA Americas 10 Argentina 1950, Brazil 1954, Chile 1959, Brazil 1963, Uruguay 1967, Puerto Rico 1974, Colombia 1982, Argentina 1990, Canada 1994, United States of America 2002
FIBA Asia 5 Philippines 1978, Japan 2006, China 2019, Indonesia Japan Philippines 2023, Qatar 2027
FIBA Europe 5 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1970, Spain 1986, Greece 1998, Turkey 2010, Spain 2014
FIBA Oceania 0  

Qualification[]

Summary[]

Edition Year Hosts Final Third place game Number of teams
Champion Score Runner-up Third place Score Fourth place
1 1950   Argentina
Argentina
64–50
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

USA

Chile
51–40
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

Brazil
10
2 1954   Brazil
USA
62–41
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

Brazil

Philippines
66–60
No playoffsTemplate:Efn
File:Flag of France (1794–1815, 1830–1958).png
France
12
3 1959   Chile
Brazil
81–67
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

USA

Chile
86–85
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

[[Chinese Taipei {{{mw}}} national basketball team|Formosa]]
13
4 1963  File:Flag of Brazil (1960–1968).png Brazil File:Flag of Brazil (1960–1968).png
Brazil
90–71
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

Yugoslavia

Soviet Union
75–74
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

USA
13
5 1967  File:Flag of Uruguay.png Uruguay
Soviet Union
71–59
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

Yugoslavia
File:Flag of Brazil (1960–1968).png
Brazil
80–71
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

USA
13
6 1970   Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
80–55
No playoffsTemplate:Efn
File:Flag of Brazil (1968–1992).png
Brazil

Soviet Union
62–58
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

Italy
13
7 1974   Puerto Rico
Soviet Union
79–82
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

Yugoslavia

USA
83–70
No playoffsTemplate:Efn

Cuba
14
8 1978   Philippines
Yugoslavia
82–81 (OT)
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Soviet Union
File:Flag of Brazil (1968–1992).png
Brazil
86–85
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Italy
14
9 1982   Colombia
Soviet Union
95–94
Coliseo El Pueblo, Cali

USA

Yugoslavia
119–117
Coliseo El Pueblo, Cali

Spain
13
10 1986   Spain
USA
87–85
Palacio de Deportes, Madrid

Soviet Union

Yugoslavia
117–91
Palacio de Deportes, Madrid
File:Flag of Brazil (1968–1992).png
Brazil
24
11 1990   Argentina
Yugoslavia
92–75
Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires

Soviet Union

USA
107–105 (OT)
Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires

Puerto Rico
16
12 1994   Canada
USA
137–91
SkyDome, Toronto

Russia

Croatia
78–60
SkyDome, Toronto

Greece
16
13 1998   Greece Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
FR Yugoslavia
64–62
Olympic Indoor Hall, Athens

Russia

USA
84–61
Olympic Indoor Hall, Athens

Greece
16
14 2002   USA Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
FR Yugoslavia
84–77 (OT)
Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Argentina

Germany
117–94
Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

New Zealand
16
15 2006   Japan
Spain
70–47
Saitama Super Arena, Saitama

Greece

USA
96–81
Saitama Super Arena, Saitama

Argentina
24
16 2010   Turkey
USA
81–64
Sinan Erdem Dome, Istanbul

Turkey

Lithuania
99–88
Sinan Erdem Dome, Istanbul

Serbia
24
17 2014   Spain
USA
129–92
Palacio de Deportes, Madrid

Serbia

France
95–93
Palacio de Deportes, Madrid

Lithuania
24
18 2019   China
Spain
95–75
Wukesong Arena, Beijing

Argentina

France
67–59
Wukesong Arena, Beijing

Australia
32
19 2023   Philippines
 Indonesia
 Japan

Germany
83–77
Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay

Serbia

Canada
127–118 (OT)
Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay

USA
32
20 2027   Qatar Future event
Lusail Sports Arena, Lusail
Future event
Lusail Sports Arena, Lusail
32

(OT): game decided after overtime.

Participating Nations[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. "PR N°1 – FIBA Basketball World Cup officially launched in Madrid". FIBA. 26 January 2012. http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/50470/arti.html. 
  2. "Inside USA Basketball". basketball.com. USA Basketball. http://www.usabasketball.com/about/inside.html. 
  3. "FIBA World Championship History (pdf)". FIBA. 1 January 2007. http://www.fiba.com/downloads/v3_abouFiba/mp/FIBA_world_championships_history.pdf. 
  4. Kennedy, John (12 March 2008). "'El Primer Crack' of Argentine Basketball: Oscar Furlong". Society for Irish Latin American Studies (John Kennedy). http://www.irlandeses.org/0803kennedyc2.htm. 
  5. Hubbard, Jan. "Why Can Pros Complete in International Tournaments". USA Basketball. https://www.usab.com/history/why-can-pros-complete-in-international-events.aspx. 
  6. McCallum, Jack (18 February 1991). "Lords of the Rings". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1118882/1/index.htm. 
  7. Secretary, FIBA (13 December 2005). "Press Release no. 42: "BAD Badtz-Maru" launched as official mascot for Japan 2006". Geneva/Tokyo: FIBA. http://www.fiba.com/ce/pages/en/events/blockbusters/world_champ_men_06/article_World_Champ_Men.asp?cookietest=done&r_act_news=10383&r_cat=8. 
  8. Secretary, FIBA (5 May 2009). "ESP – Spain selected to host 2014 World Championship". Geneva: FIBA. http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/30278/arti.html. 
  9. "FIBA.com Archive – Yugoslavia.". http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//tid/390/_//teams.html. 
  10. "Mainini: calendar, system of competition and 3x3 our biggest priorities" (Press release). FIBA. 20 April 2012. http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/presRele/p/newsid/51257/presReleArti.html. 
  11. "Philippines/Japan/Indonesia to stage first-ever multiple-host FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023" (Press release). FIBA. 9 December 2017. http://www.fiba.basketball/news/philippines-japan-indonesia-to-stage-first-ever-multiple-hosts-fiba-basketball-world-cup-in-2023. 

External links[]

FIBA Basketball World Cup
History  · Awards  · Records  · Naismith Trophy
Tournaments Argentina 1950  · Brazil 1954  · Chile 1959  · Brazil 1963  · Uruguay 1967  · Yugoslavia 1970  · Puerto Rico 1974  · Philippines 1978  · Colombia 1982  · Spain 1986  · Argentina 1990  · Canada 1994  · Greece 1998  · United States 2002  · Japan 2006  · Turkey 2010  · Spain 2014  · China 2019  · Japan/Indonesia/Philippines 2023  · Qatar 2027
Qualification 2010  · 2014  · 2019  · 2023
Finals 1998  · 2002  · 2006  · 2010  · 2014  · 2019  · 2023
Squads 1954  · 1986  · 1998  · 2002  · 2006  · 2010  · 2014  · 2019  · 2023
Host bids 2019 (Philippines  · China)  · 2023 (Philippines-Japan-Indonesia  · Argentina-Uruguay)
Related topics Team appearances  · Most Valuable Player  · Top Scorer  · All-Tournament Team  · Winning head coaches
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