The FIBA World Cup fever is on!
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, the Draw Ceremony for the 2023 FIBA World Cup was staged at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. The Philippines is one of the host countries for the 2023 edition of the World Cup, along with Japan and Indonesia, and will tip-off on August 25, and will last until September 10, 2023.
In the said event, the paths of the teams competing in this year’s basketball world cup will be forged. There are 32 teams vying for the coveted Naismith trophy. Jip, derived from the initials of the three host countries, is also presented as the official 2023 Basketball World Cup mascot.
For the draw ceremony, Gretchen Ho and Ari Chambers serve as the presenters. Sarah Gernonimo, Billy Crawford, and Saweetie are the performers of the night.
Sporting legends are also present in tonight’s event, with none other than the likes of Yao Ming, Manny Pacquiao, Luis Scola, and Nowitzki Dirk, being some of the famous figures present inside the coliseum. Dirk will also assist in the draw itself.
Joining Dirk Nowitzki will be former Gilas player LA Tenorio, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, former Japanese National Basketball team player Takehiko Orimo, and Indonesian artist Raffi Ahmad.
Here’s a quick rundown on who will compete with who in the preliminary round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup
Groups A and B
Games to be played at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, Philippines.
- Angola
- Dominican Republic
- Philippines
- Italy
- South Sudan
- Serbia
- China
- Puerto Rico
Groups C and D
Games to be played at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.
- USA
- Jordan
- Greece
- New Zealand
- Egypt
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Lithuania
Groups E and F
Games to be played at the Okinawa Arena in Okinawa, Japan.
- Germany
- Finland
- Australia
- Japan
- Slovenia
- Cape Verde
- Georgia
- Venezuela
Groups G and H
Games to be played at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Iran
- Spain
- Cote D’Ivoire
- Brazil
- Canada
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- France