The 2027 FIBA ??Basketball World Cup Board of Directors holds its first meetings

MIES (Switzerland) - An important first step towards the 2027 FIBA ??Basketball World Cup has been taken with FIBA ??and the Qatar National Organizing Committee holding their first meeting at the Patrick Baumann Basketball House.

The FIBA ??Basketball World Cup 2027 Council, which was formed to oversee the planning of the main event and make key strategic decisions ahead of the 32-team tournament, held two days of meetings with the Qatar Local Committee on Thursday and Friday.

The focus of the meetings was on the governance and management structure of the event, as well as the establishment of joint marketing and operational committees for the 2027 competition.

Mr. Burton Shipley will serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 2027 FIBA ??Basketball World Cup. Shipley previously served as Chairman of the 2019 FIBA ??Basketball World Cup Coordination Committee.

Shipley said: “The incredible success at all levels with this year’s World Cup in Manila, Jakarta and Okinawa, for the fans, players, media – everyone – has once again raised the bar for our flagship event. We are excited to begin preparations for Qatar.”

Other members of the FIBA ??Basketball World Cup 2027 Council include FIBA ??Vice President Anibal Manaf and FIBA ??Secretary General Andreas Zaklis.

Members of the QOC delegation include the President of the Qatar Basketball Association, Mohammed Saad Al-Mughayseeb, and Sheikha Asma Thani Al Thani, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Qatar Olympic Committee and Eng. Fahd Ibrahim Juma Muhanna, Director of Strategy and Projects Department at the Qatar Olympic Committee. Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Association, Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, was also present.

The President of the Qatar Basketball Association, Mr. Mohammed Saad Al-Mughayseeb, stressed the importance of these meetings and said: “As the host country of the FIBA ??Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027, we are excited that this journey has begun with the tipping meeting. This early preparatory phase is essential, and alongside the International Federation For basketball, we are committed to delivering an unforgettable event in 2027.”

Qatar was awarded the hosting rights for the 2027 FIBA ??World Cup in April, with all games being played in the city of Doha.

The country's bid impressed with its elements around compact geography, unique flexibility with tournament venue scheduling to better serve fans, and its focus on sustainability.

The official countdown to the 2027 FIBA ??Basketball World Cup has begun after the ball was officially handed over to the Qatar National Football Committee by former FIBA ??President Hamani Niang and Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan, Chairman of the Philippine National Committee, during this summer’s World Cup Final.

With all teams playing in the same city, fans will be able to plan everything in advance and enjoy a unique experience since all venues are within 30 minutes of each other.

The 2027 FIBA ??Basketball World Cup will be held in Qatar from August 27 to September 12, 2027. It is the first time in the history of the competition that it will be organized in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The qualification process for the 2027 FIBA ??World Cup will involve six windows over 15 months, running from November 2025 to February 2027, with 80 national teams competing for a place in the World Cup.