FIBA World Cup · History

The FIBA Basketball World Cup is the men's world championship for national basketball teams. It is organised by FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, and has been played since 1950, when Argentina hosted the first edition in Buenos Aires. From 1950 to 2010 it was called the FIBA World Championship. The tournament is held every four years and is FIBA's main event. Since 1967 the winners have been given the Naismith Trophy. Seven countries have won the title: the United States, Yugoslavia and its successor state, the Soviet Union, Brazil, Spain, Argentina and Germany.

Origins in Buenos Aires

The first championship ran from 22 October to 3 November 1950 at the Luna Park stadium in Buenos Aires. Ten teams took part. After preliminary and repechage rounds, six teams went through to a final round played as a round-robin. Argentina won all five of its final-round games. The deciding game was a 64-50 win over the United States, which finished second. Brazil hosted the second edition in 1954, and this time the United States won, beating the hosts 62-41. Brazil then won the next two titles, in Chile in 1959 and at home in 1963. In the 1963 final round they finished ahead of Yugoslavia.

The Eastern European era

From the late 1960s the title went back and forth between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. The Soviets won in Uruguay in 1967, in Puerto Rico in 1974 and in Colombia in 1982. At Colombia they edged the United States 95-94. Yugoslavia won its first title at home in 1970, with Brazil second. In 1978 in the Philippines, Yugoslavia beat the Soviet Union 82-81 after overtime. The Americans returned to the top in Spain in 1986 with an 87-85 win over the Soviet Union. Yugoslavia then won in Argentina in 1990, beating the Soviets 92-75 in the final.

Professionals and the American response

The 1994 tournament in Canada was the first in which the United States sent NBA players. They beat Russia 137-91 in the final in Toronto, and 32,616 people attended that game. Russia lost the final again in Greece in 1998, this time 64-62 to FR Yugoslavia. Indianapolis staged the 2002 edition, and the result went against the hosts. FR Yugoslavia beat Argentina in overtime to defend its title. Dirk Nowitzki of Germany was named most valuable player. The United States lost to Spain in the game for fifth place.

Twenty-four teams and a new name

In 2006 the tournament grew to 24 teams, split into four groups of six, with the top four in each group going through to a round of 16. In Japan that year Spain won its first title, beating Greece 70-47 in the final. The United States won in Turkey in 2010 with an 81-64 win over the hosts. The 2014 edition in Spain was the first played as the FIBA Basketball World Cup; FIBA had announced the new name at a launch event in Madrid. The United States kept its title by beating Serbia 129-92 in the final. That was its fifth championship, after 1954, 1986, 1994 and 2010.

A new calendar and 32 teams

After 2014 FIBA moved the men's tournament to a different four-year cycle so that it would no longer fall in the same year as the FIFA World Cup. The 2019 edition in China, held from 31 August to 15 September across eight host cities, was the first with 32 teams. Teams qualified through continental windows: twelve places went to Europe, seven to the Americas, seven to Asia-Pacific and five to Africa, with China qualifying as host. Since 2017, continental championships have not given places at the World Cup or the Olympic Games. Spain won its second title by beating Argentina 95-75 in the final, and Ricky Rubio was named most valuable player. France took bronze with a 67-59 win over Australia.

Three hosts and a first German title

The 2023 World Cup, held from 25 August to 10 September, was the first to be hosted by more than one country: the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The game between the Dominican Republic and the Philippines at the Philippine Arena drew 38,115 spectators. That was a new tournament record, beating the 32,616 at the 1994 final in Toronto. Total attendance was 700,665. The final phase was played at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Metro Manila. Germany won all of its games and beat Serbia 83-77 in the final for its first world title. Dennis Schröder was named most valuable player. Canada won its first World Cup medal by beating the United States 127-118 in the bronze medal game.