MIES (Switzerland) - FIBA's Central Board has convened at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball, following the milestone completion of the first window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers, with 72 national teams playing the first round across the globe, on the Road to Qatar.
The following topics were discussed:
FIBA Basketball World Cups 2026 and 2027
Reports were given on the preparations of both FIBA Basketball World Cups for 2026 and 2027, including Qualifier events for both flagship tournaments. The Road to Qatar gained momentum as Window 1 of the Qualifiers wrapped up successfully earlier this week, featuring 75 games over five thrilling days of global action.
Meanwhile, on the Road to Berlin, preparations are in full swing for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments in March, which will be hosted in Wuhan, China; Lyon-Villeurbanne, France; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Istanbul, Türkiye.
Olympic Games: 2028 and 2032
The Central Board also received updates on the ongoing preparations for the Olympic Games for Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032. The LA28 Organizing Committee has recently announced the dates for when the men's and women's Basketball tournaments will be played at the Inglewood Dome and 3x3 Basketball at the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area.
FIBA Continental Cups
The Central Board reviewed reports on the successful FIBA Continental Cups held from June to September, showcasing strong performances and growing fan engagement across both the men’s and women’s competitions in all regions.
The champions for 2025 are:
Women's Continental Cup Winners | Men's Continental Cup Winners |
FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2025: Nigeria | FIBA AfroBasket 2025: Angola |
FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2025: USA | FIBA AmeriCup 2025: Brazil |
FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2025: Australia | FIBA Asia Cup 2025: Australia |
FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025: Belgium | FIBA EuroBasket 2025: Germany |
FIBA Masters Open 2026
The Central Board has approved the inaugural FIBA Masters Open, to be held in Greece next year, in collaboration with the Hellenic Basketball Federation.
FIBA Youth World Cups
The Central Board received reports on the youth World Cups that took place this year, with the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 held in Switzerland and the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2025 in Czechia. Both events demonstrated strong engagement and digital growth, with the tournament in Switzerland successfully unveiling GeniusIQ - an AI-driven system that delivers real-time in-game optical tracking and powers augmented broadcasts featuring live data overlays such as player speed, shot charts, and momentum swings.
The Central Board has also approved a change in host city for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2027, with Pardubice set to host the event instead of Prague.
Club Competitions
A comprehensive report was given on the recent FIBA Intercontinental Cup, which was played in Singapore and saw Unicaja claim the title for a second year in a row.
Reports were also received on the Road to BAL Season 6, where five teams, Nairobi City Thunder (Kenya), Al Ahly Benghazi (Libya), Jeunesse Club Abidjan Kings (Ivory Coast), Johannesburg Giants (South Africa), and Dar City (Tanzania), have secured qualification for the Basketball Africa League.
Additionally, the Central Board reviewed updates on the current Basketball Champions League Season 10 and preparations for BCL Americas Season 7 and BCL Asia 2026.
The Central Board also reviewed the progress in the discussions with the NBA for a new league in Europe connected to the Basketball Champions League and domestic Leagues, following the joint announcement earlier this year, as well as the recent meetings with ECA and NBA organised by FIBA in its role as the world governing body of the sport.
3x3
The Central Board was given updates on the preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, including the Road to LA qualification pathway, as well as on 3x3's most recent events, covering National Team competitions and the Professional Circuit, which has featured the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series and the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2025 Finals. Canada claimed the Women’s Series Final title in Shanghai, while Ub (Serbia) triumphed at the World Tour Final in Manama.
Empower National Federations
The Central Board was presented with an update on the strategic priority of Empower National Federations. In 2025, FIBA Plus delivered planning support in 35 countries, while implementation support reached more than 50 countries.
The FIBA Academy Leaders Program also launched with 25 participants, marking a significant step in empowering future basketball leaders. The program will continue with its first on-site sessions next week in Qatar.
Sustainability
The Central Board has formally endorsed FIBA's new Sustainability Strategy 2025–2029, which has been structured around two core areas of responsibility: FIBA as an organization and FIBA as an event owner. This framework ensures that sustainability is integrated into both FIBA's internal operations and into the planning and delivery of FIBA competitions.
National Federation Matters
The Central Board decided to continue analyzing the situation of safety and security in Israel and Iran, and when the situation allows so, to be ready to return with games of FIBA competitions in the respective territories.
The Central Board decided to maintain the current status of Russia and Belarus until the FIBA Executive Committee meeting of mid-February 2026, following the IOC Session in Milan-Cortina. The Central Board also approved that, when the situation allows, FIBA will be ready to enact extraordinary competition measures to maintain players from the two federations on the pathway for the LA28 Olympic Games, considering that it is no longer possible to participate in major FIBA tournaments in 2026 and 2027, where the qualification is already underway.
Regulations
The Central Board approved amendments to the regulations for the National Status of players, notably clarifying the process under which players both in Basketball and 3x3 have their national status determined or changed, introducing more objective criteria. Going forward, players who obtained a passport before the age of 18 (rather than 16) will not be considered as restricted, while players who have participated with a national team in senior main FIBA tournaments will no longer be able to play for another national team.
Other Matters
The Central Board received a report on the FIBA Foundation’s activities for 2025, highlighting its continued efforts to use basketball as a tool for social development worldwide, while promoting cultural heritage and strengthening its position as the global reference for international basketball knowledge.
The Central Board approved the Budget 2026 and acknowledged the plan for 2027-2029.
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