With 3 Asian countries hosting the 2023 FIBA World Cup, these are the 5 arenas where the 32 nations will be competing.
The upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup is the first-ever edition to be hosted by multiple nations in Asia: the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.
This means that different stages of the tournament take place in different parts of the continent on different courts.
At this year’s FIBA World Cup, the Philippines will be hosting the games of 16 teams in four of the preliminary round groups, two of the second round groups, and the final stages of the tournament. Meanwhile, Japan and Indonesia will each be hosting two preliminary-round groups and one second-round group.
With this, the 32 nations that have qualified for the FIBA World Cup spread out across these five venues in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.
Philippines: Mall of Asia Arena
With the capacity to hold 16,500, the Mall of Asia Arena has become a staple venue for Philippine sports.
But apart from hosting local tournaments, the Arena is not a new stage for FIBA Tournaments either, as these grounds have hosted FIBA Championships in the past, such as the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship.
This year, the Arena will be hosting Groups C and D in the first round of the tournament’s group stage, from August 25 to August 30, as well as the second-round games of Group J from September 1 to 3.
Philippines: Smart Araneta Coliseum
Since its establishment in 1960, the Smart Araneta Coliseum, AKA ‘The Big Dome’ that holds 14,360 has been an iconic venue for both Philippine and international sports. In fact, one of the most notable games in its history was the Thrilla in Manila fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975.
As one of the largest indoor arenas in the continent, Araneta Coliseum will also be hosting Groups A and B in the first round of the group phase from August 25 to 30, as well as Group I in the second round from September 1 to 3.
Japan: Okinawa Arena
The Okinawa Arena in Japan is considered one of the most up-to-date indoor arenas in the country, and is also one of the most popular, as it is the home arena of their local professional basketball team, the Ryukyu Golden Kings.
With a maximum capacity of 10,000, the Okinawa Arena will be hosting Groups E and F in the first round of the group phase from August 25 to 30, as well as Group K in the second round from September 1 to 3.
Indonesia: Indonesia Arena
The Indonesia Arena will be the newest stadium among all the five at the FIBA World Cup, as it is still under construction at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Jakarta, and will finally be opening its doors in June.
Specifically designed to host the World Cup, it will have a capacity of 16,000. The Indonesia Arena will be accommodating Groups G and H in the first round of the group phase from August 25 to 30, as well as Group L in the second round from September 1 to 3.
Philippines: Philippine Arena
The Philippine Arena is the world’s largest indoor arena, with a maximum capacity of 55,000. Ever since it opened in 2014, it has been a popular venue for different sports, concerts, and other events. In fact, the 2018 FIBA 3×3 World Cup took place on these grounds.
Now, the giant arena will add another page of history to its repertoire as it will host the biggest stage of the FIBA World Cup — the finals round.
All the games of the final phase of the 2023 FIBA World Cup will take place in the Philippine Arena, beginning with the quarterfinals finals from September 5 to 6 and the finals on September 10.
Banner images from FIBA Basketball.
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