World basketball governing body, FIBA has awarded the hosting rights of the 2023 FIBA World Cup to three Asian countries, Philippines, Japan and Indonesia on Saturday.
Philippines/Japan/Indonesia and Argentina/Uruguay were the finalists to make their presentations to FIBA’s Central Board. The Board unanimously voted for the former to host the event scheduled to take place in just under six years time.
This marks the first time in basketball’s biggest showpiece that it is to be staged in multiple countries.
Former Chairman of the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA), Manuel Pangilinan,who headed the Philippines/Japan/Indonesia bid told FIBA.com “We are extremely happy that FIBA has decided to award the hosting right for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 to Philippines/Japan/Indonesia. The World Cup is an event that fans of basketball in these three countries are very proud of and hosting it will allow to spread the basketball fever across the three countries and the region.”
Meanwhile, FIBA President Horacio Muratore was very excited to see countries team up bids for the very first time in the history of the competition.
“Congratulations to Philippines/Japan/Indonesia as they will host a first-of-a-kind FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023, when it is staged across multiple countries.This was a very difficult decision as both candidatures were of exceptional quality. We want to congratulate both bidders for their outstanding work.
“We are very pleased to see national federations team up and put together bids of the highest quality to host our World Cup.
“We look forward to witnessing a FIBA Basketball World Cup Final played in a venue packed with more than 50,000 basketball crazy fans in the Philippines, a country where basketball is a religion.”
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will see the Group Phase take place in Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, with the Final Phase to follow in the Philippine capital city of Manila.
