Basketball fans in the Middle Kingdom are in for a real treat! FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 will tip off in eight cities around China – the first time the tournament has ever been held in the country.
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Nanjing, Dongguan and Foshan will welcome elite ballers from 31 participating countries (and one territory), a record number of squads for the global basketball competition.
Image via @fibawc/Instagram
The games will run from August 31 to September 15, with two rounds of group phase before moving to a 16-team, single-elimination tournament. In the early stages, Beijingers can watch China go toe-to-toe with Venezuela, Poland and Cote d’Ivoire. In Shanghai, the USA leads a group with Turkey, Japan and the Czech Republic. Down in the Greater Bay Area, you can catch Spain, Italy, Serbia, France, Canada, Australia and more great teams go head-to-head.
After the group stage, quarterfinals matches will be held in Dongguan and Shanghai before moving to Beijing for the semi-finals and final game.
For those not familiar with FIBA Basketball World Cup – it’s the real deal. Many of the NBA’s budding stars and savvy vets toss on their country’s jersey and ball out with pride.
This year, the Americans are the favorites after taking home the gold in the two previous FIBA World Cups. Led by the best in the business, Coach Gregg Popovich, the US team is notably fielding less star power than previous tournaments. Kyle Lowry, Harrison Barnes and Kemba Walker are set to battle alongside their young teammates to secure their nation’s third consecutive gold medal, while also trying to automatically qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Image via @usabasketball/Instagram
However, nothing is set in stone, with very strong squads in Canada, Australia, Spain and Serbia vying for the coveted gold.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, dubbed the ‘Greek Freak,’ is widely considered the cream of the crop in the basketball world after securing his first-ever NBA Most Valuable Player award. He recently stated he would exchange his hard-earned MVP title for the gold medal in China. Giannis and his two brothers will be leading the Greek squad in the pursuit of becoming world champions.
Image via @giannis_an34/Instagram
Below, we give you a breakdown of the tournament schedule for each city, providing venue locations and ticket links.
Beijing
Poland vs. Venezuela
Sat, Aug 31. 4pm. Wukesong Sport Arena. Tickets.
Cote d’Ivoire vs. China
Sat, Aug 31. 8pm. Wukesong Sport Arena. Tickets.
Venezuela vs. Cote d’Ivoire
Mon, Sept 2. 4pm. Wukesong Sport Arena. Tickets.
China vs. Poland
Mon, Sept 2. 8pm. Wukesong Sport Arena. Tickets.
Cote d’Ivoire vs. Poland
Wed, Sept 4. 4pm. Wukesong Sport Arena. Tickets.
Venezuela vs. China
Wed, Sept 4. 8pm. Wukesong Sport Arena. Tickets.
Cote d’Ivoire vs. Poland
Wed, Sept 4. 8pm. Wukesong Sport Arena. Tickets.
Dongguan
Canada vs. Australia
Sun, Sept 1. 3.30pm. Dongguan Basketball Center. Tickets.
Senegal vs. Lithuania
Sun, Sept 1. 7.30pm. Dongguan Basketball Center. Tickets.
Australia vs. Senegal
Tue, Sept 3. 3.30pm. Dongguan Basketball Center. Tickets.
Lithuania vs. Canada
Tue, Sept 3. 7.30pm. Dongguan Basketball Center. Tickets.
Canada vs. Senegal
Thu, Sept 5. 3.30pm. Dongguan Basketball Center. Tickets.
Lithuania vs. Australia
Thu, Sept 5. 7.30pm. Dongguan Basketball Center. Tickets.
Foshan
Italy vs. Angola
Mon, Sept 2. 3.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural Arena. Tickets.
Angola vs. Serbia
Sat, Aug 31. 3.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural Arena. Tickets.
Philippines vs. Italy
Sat, Aug 31. 7.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural Arena. Tickets.
Serbia vs. Philippines
Mon, Sept 2. 7.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural Arena. Tickets.
Angola vs. Philippines
Wed, Sept 4. 3.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural Arena. Tickets.
Italy vs. Serbia
Wed, Sept 4. 7.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural Arena. Tickets.
Guangzhou
Iran vs. Puerto Rico
Sat, Aug 31. 4.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.
Spain vs. Tunisia
Sat, Aug 31. 8.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.
Spain vs. Tunisia
Sat, Aug 31. 8.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.
Tunisia vs. Iran
Mon, Sept 1. 4.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.
Puerto Rico vs. Spain
Mon, Sept 2. 8.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.
Puerto Rico vs. Tunisia
Wed, Sept 4. 4.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.
Spain vs. Iran
Wed, Sept 4. 8.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.
Nanjing
New Zealand vs. Brazil
Sun, Sept 1. 4pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport Park. Tickets.
Greece vs. Montenegro
Sun, Sept 1. 8pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport Park. Tickets.
Montenegro vs. New Zealand
Tue, Sept 3. 4pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport Park. Tickets.
Brazil vs. Greece
Tue, Sept 3. 8pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport Park. Tickets.
Brazil vs. Montenegro
Thu, Sept 5. 4pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport Park. Tickets.
Greece vs. New Zealand
Thu, Sept 5. 8pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport Park. Tickets.
Shanghai
Turkey vs. Japan
Sun, Sept 1. 4.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. Tickets.
Czech Republic vs. USA
Sun, Sept 1. 8.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. Tickets.
Japan vs. Czech Republic
Tue, Sept 3. 4.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. Tickets.
USA vs. Turkey
Tue, Sept 3. 8.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. Tickets.
Turkey vs. Czech Republic
Thu, Sept 5. 4.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. Tickets.
USA vs. Japan
Thu, Sept 5. 8.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. Tickets.
Shenzhen
Dominican Republic vs. Jordan
Sun, Sept 1. 4.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.
France vs. Germany
Sun, Sept 1. 8.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.
Germany vs. Dominican Republic
Tue, Sept 3. 4.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.
Jordan vs. France
Tue, Sept 3. 8.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.
Germany vs. Jordan
Thu, Sept 5. 4.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.
Dominican Republic vs. France
Thu, Sept 5. 8.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.
Wuhan
Russia vs. Nigeria
Sat, Aug 31. 4.30pm. Wuhan Sports Center. Tickets.
Argentina vs. Korea
Sat, Aug 31. 8.30pm. Wuhan Sports Center. Tickets.
Nigeria vs. Argentina
Mon, Sept 2. 4.30pm. Wuhan Sports Center. Tickets.
Korea vs. Russia
Mon, Sept 2. 8.30pm. Wuhan Sports Center. Tickets.
Korea vs. Nigeria
Wed, Sept 4. 4.30pm. Wuhan Sports Center. Tickets.
Russia vs. Argentina
Wed, Sept 4. 8.30pm. Wuhan Sports Center. Tickets.
[Cover image via NBA/FIBA]
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