Qatar will host 32-team men's Basketball World Cup 2027 across four venues near Doha

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 will be held in Qatar from Aug. 27 to Sept. 12, 2027. Thirty-two teams will compete, including teams that qualify through four regional qualifying tournaments and host Qatar. It will be the first World Cup held in the Arab world.

The venues are Lusail, Doha, Al Rayyan and Al Wakrah. All are near Doha, and the main venue, Lusail Arena, holds about 15,000 spectators. The final will also be played there.

Because the venues are clustered within a radius of several dozen kilometers, fans can easily attend multiple games in one day. The tournament will also be less demanding for teams in terms of travel. However, outdoor temperatures in Qatar in late August are extremely high, and creating suitable conditions for training and travel will be a major operational challenge.

The men's World Cup is the world championship for national men's teams and is held every four years. This tournament will also serve as a path to qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In Asia, host Qatar has been joined by several teams that are close to qualifying.

On April 28, 2023, FIBA announced at a central board meeting in Manila, Philippines, that Qatar would host the 2027 tournament. Qatar was the only candidate. By gaining the hosting rights, Qatar also automatically earned a spot in the tournament.

Qualifying for the tournament is divided into six windows. The remaining windows are Window 5 in November 2026 and Window 6 in February 2027. The remaining spots will be determined by the results of each regional qualifier.

The previous tournament in 2023 was co-hosted by Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, and the 2019 tournament was held in China. The 2027 tournament will be the third straight World Cup held in Asia, reflecting the growing popularity of basketball in the region.

The 2023 final saw Germany defeat Serbia to win the title, and Germany will enter the 2027 tournament as defending champion. Which teams will be placed in which groups for the 32 teams will be determined by the results of the upcoming qualifiers.

Background

Qualifying is divided into six windows, and the remaining windows are Window 5 in November 2026 and Window 6 in February 2027. From Asia, several teams are close to qualifying in addition to host Qatar.

Basketball Press view

Because the venues are concentrated within a short distance, the tournament should place a light burden on both fans and teams. On the other hand, the outdoor heat in late August in Qatar is a major challenge for both player health management and operations. The 2027 tournament is the first in the Arab world, and together with three straight tournaments in Asia, it symbolizes the international spread of basketball. The results of upcoming qualifiers will decide which teams take part.

Translated from the Japanese article by the Basketball Press editors. AI is used to assist in translation.