History of the FIBA Basketball World Cup facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
History of the FIBA Basketball World Cup

Sport	Basketball
Founded	1950
No. of teams	32
Continent	International (FIBA)
Most recent champion(s)	Germany (1st title)
Most titles	United States  Yugoslavia (5 titles)

The FIBA Basketball World Cup is a huge international basketball competition. It's where the best men's national teams from around the world compete. These teams are all part of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), which is the main group that runs basketball globally.

The idea for this tournament started during the 1948 Summer Olympics. FIBA leaders saw how popular the Olympic basketball games were. They wanted to create a similar championship that would happen every four years, between the Olympic Games.

The very first FIBA Basketball World Cup was held in 1950 in Argentina. The home team, Argentina, actually won that first championship! For many years, from 1963 to 1998, a few teams were super strong. These included Brazil, the Soviet Union (and later Russia), the United States, and Yugoslavia (and later Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro). They won almost all the medals during that time.

But since 2002, things have changed. More teams from different parts of the world have started winning medals. This shows how much basketball has grown everywhere! For the first 40 years, only professional players from Europe and South America could play. But in 1989, FIBA decided to let NBA players join. Since 1994, NBA stars have been part of every World Cup.

How Basketball's World Cup Began

The first international basketball game happened in South America in 1930. This was about 40 years after Dr. James Naismith invented the game.

The International Amateur Basketball Federation, known as FIBA, was created two years later. Countries like Argentina, Greece, and Italy were among its first members. In 1935, Europe held its first big basketball championship. Because it was so successful, basketball became an outdoor sport at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

The 1936 Olympic tournament was a big hit. It had 21 teams from five continents, which was a lot for a team sport back then. The USA, Canada, and Mexico won the top three medals. There were a few challenges, though. FIBA tried to make a rule that no player could be taller than 6 feet 3 inches. The USA team, which had taller players, said no, and the rule was dropped.

Another rule said only seven players could play in each game, which was accepted. Players also complained about the basketballs. They were lighter than usual and blew around in the wind. The final game was played in the rain on a clay tennis court! The USA beat Canada 19-8 in a very low-scoring game. Future games were moved indoors because of the bad weather. Even with the storm and no seats, 1,000 fans watched the final. Basketball stayed in the Olympics for good.

Even though the European Basketball Championship stopped during World War II, the South American Championship kept going. After the war, basketball became even more popular. The 1947 European Championship had a record 14 teams. Basketball was also part of the 1948 Olympics. The American team won gold again, but the tournament was a huge success. It had 23 nations from all over the world.

With the Olympics being so popular, the FIBA leaders met in London in 1948. FIBA's Secretary-General, Renato William Jones, pushed for a World Championship. They decided to hold it every four years, between the Olympics. The first one was set for 1950. Argentina was chosen to host for a few reasons. European countries were still recovering from the war. Argentina had a good reputation in basketball and was a founding member of FIBA. Most importantly, they were willing to host the very first World Championship. FIBA invited 10 teams: Argentina (the host), the medal winners from the 1948 Olympics (USA, France, and Brazil), plus two teams each from South America, Europe, and Asia.

Exciting Moments in World Cup History

Early Years and South American Success (1950–1963)

Just like the first FIFA World Cup 20 years earlier, the first basketball World Championship in 1950 had some problems. The biggest issue was that some teams didn't want to come. Uruguay, the South American champion, refused to travel to Buenos Aires. This was because Argentinian officials wouldn't give visas to Uruguayan journalists. Since Brazil had already qualified, the spots for South America went to Chile and Peru.

No Asian team wanted to make the long trip. So, FIBA invited Egypt (the European champion) and Ecuador. Stronger European teams also didn't want to travel. So, Europe was represented by Yugoslavia and Spain, who weren't top teams at the time. All three Olympic medalists came, but the USA didn't send their best players. They sent a team of factory workers instead of holding tryouts. France also had only two players from their Olympic silver medal team.

Two more problems happened during the games. First, Yugoslavia refused to stand for Spain's anthem. They walked off the court and were banned by FIBA for nine months. Second, a referee made a mistake, giving Egypt a win over France. Egypt refused to replay the game. France protested, which almost messed up the tournament schedule. Luckily, France dropped their protest, and the games continued.

Despite these issues, the 1950 tournament had great moments, especially for the home team. Argentina had finished 15th in the previous Olympics. But they kept the same team together and trained hard for two years. They practiced six hours a day for three months before the tournament! This paid off. Argentina beat the top-seeded Americans in the final. This was the first time the USA had ever lost in international basketball. A huge crowd of 25,000 fans filled Luna Park in Buenos Aires to watch the final.

In 1954, the World Championship went back to South America, this time in Brazil. It was supposed to be in São Paulo, but a storm damaged the stadium. So, it moved to Rio de Janeiro's Maracanãzinho stadium. Most teams (seven out of twelve) were from the Americas. Argentina, the defending champion, didn't play for political reasons. Europe sent France, Israel, and Yugoslavia. The strongest teams from Eastern Europe still refused to play.

Asia made its first appearance with Formosa (Taiwan) and the Philippines. The Philippines did very well, winning a bronze medal. This is still the highest finish for any Asian team in the tournament. The USA took the tournament more seriously this time. They sent a strong team and won all nine of their games. They beat Brazil by 21 points in the final. The attendance was amazing again, with a record 35,000 people watching the final.

The 1959 tournament was mostly won by teams from the Americas. But for the first time, teams from Eastern Europe joined. The Soviet Union and Bulgaria played for the first time. The tournament was delayed to January 1959 because the stadium wasn't ready. Money meant for the arena was used for football stadiums instead. So, the tournament moved outdoors to a football stadium. The host team was automatically placed in the final round. The USA almost didn't come because the delayed tournament was during their college and amateur seasons. But FIBA convinced them to send a team from the United States Air Force.

The Soviet Union beat the American team 62-37 in front of 30,000 fans. This was a record for a non-final game. But the Soviets weren't unbeatable; Canada beat them in an earlier round. The Soviet Union seemed set to win gold. They just needed to beat Formosa in the final round.

However, Cold War politics got in the way. The Soviets refused to play against Formosa because of their support for China. Bulgaria did the same. So, the Soviet Union and Bulgaria were moved to the last two places in the final round. Brazil then won their first gold medal, beating the Americans 81-67. This game decided the championship. Bulgaria and the Soviet Union being moved down helped the home crowd. Chile was promoted to the bronze medal spot.

Politics caused problems again at the 1963 FIBA World Championship. The event was supposed to be in Manila, Philippines. It would have been the first time outside South America. But the Philippine government wouldn't give visas to players from socialist countries (Soviet Union and Yugoslavia). So, the tournament moved back to Brazil for the second time in three tournaments. Rio de Janeiro hosted the final round again, with over 25,000 fans watching every game. Brazil won its second straight world championship without losing a game. Most teams were from the Americas, but Europe won its first medals. Yugoslavia took silver, and the Soviet Union won bronze. The USA team, made of college and armed forces players, finished fourth. This was the first time they didn't win a medal.

European Teams Take Over (1967–1982)

The 1967 FIBA World Championship was held in Montevideo, Uruguay. This was the fifth time in a row it was in South America. This tournament started a new era. It was the first time two European teams played in the final. It also had a more formal way for teams to qualify. The Soviet Union won the tournament, even after losing to the USA earlier. Yugoslavia, Brazil, and the USA all finished with similar records. Yugoslavia won silver, and Brazil won bronze. The USA sent a team that only got together 10 days before the tournament. The host country, Uruguay, finished last. Games were held in a cold, steel building where players needed blankets! From this tournament on, the Naismith Trophy was given to the champion.

The 1970 FIBA World Championship was the first held outside South America, in Yugoslavia. Being the host helped Yugoslavia win the gold medal. This tournament was also important because champions from Oceania (like Australia) and Africa (like Egypt) got automatic spots for the first time. The gap between strong basketball nations in the Americas and Europe, and newer teams from Asia, Oceania, and Africa, became clear. Teams like Korea, Australia, and Egypt finished at the bottom. Cuba and Panama also played but were knocked out early. Brazil won silver, and the Soviet Union won bronze, both for the third time in a row. The USA, with less experienced college players, finished a disappointing fifth.

In 1974, the tournament moved back to the Western Hemisphere, to Puerto Rico. It grew to 14 teams for the first time. The defending champions (Yugoslavia) and the host (Puerto Rico) automatically qualified for the final round. The way teams qualified stayed mostly the same. Newer teams still struggled. The Central African Republic lost to the Soviet Union 140-48. This is still the biggest loss in World Championship history! And this was before the three-point line existed.

The USA sent a young but very talented team. Led by John Lucas II, they won 8 out of 9 games. This was their best result in years. But they got bronze because of a tiebreaker with the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. The Soviet Union, with many players from their 1972 Olympic team that beat the USA, won gold. Yugoslavia won silver, their fourth medal in a row.

The 1978 FIBA World Championship was the first held in Asia, in the Philippines. It had 14 teams again. The tournament format changed slightly. The top eight teams played in a final round, then the top two played for gold. The third and fourth teams played for bronze. The strong Yugoslav team scored over 100 points in eight games and went undefeated. The Soviet Union finished second. They met Yugoslavia in the gold medal game. The Soviets held Yugoslavia to their lowest score, but Yugoslavia won a thrilling overtime game 82-81. Brazil won bronze. The USA sent a team of amateur players, not college stars, and finished fifth. Australia did better, reaching the final round for the first time. Senegal became the first African team to win a game since they got an automatic spot in 1970.

The 1982 FIBA World Championship was in Colombia. This was a surprise choice because Colombia had never played in the World Championship before. As hosts, they automatically got to the semifinals. But they were no match for the stronger teams. They lost by 183 points in six games, including a 143-76 loss to the Soviet Union. Despite Colombia's team not being strong, many fans came to watch. The tournament had 13 teams this time. The USA sent a talented college team led by Doc Rivers. They won 5 out of 6 games in the final round to play the Soviet Union for gold. The Soviets won a very close game, 95-94. Yugoslavia won its sixth medal in a row, beating Spain for bronze. Australia finished fifth, their best result yet.

More Teams, Big Three Teams Dominate (1986–1990)

The 1986 FIBA World Championship brought big changes. The tournament grew to 24 teams for the first time. Teams were divided into four groups. The top teams then played in two more groups, leading to a four-team playoff. Also, the three-point line was used for the first time! The defending champions (Soviet Union) and host (Spain) got automatic spots. Other spots were given to teams from Europe, North America, South America, Central America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Some teams also got special invitations.

Having more teams led to some very uneven games. Some groups had huge differences in scores. For example, Malaysia lost by 226 points in their games! The 12-team semifinal round was more competitive. The USA had boycotted the last two Olympics. So, they saw the World Championship as very important. They sent a college team with future NBA stars like David Robinson and Kenny Smith. These college stars won the USA's first World Championship gold since 1954. They beat the Soviet Union 87-85 in another exciting final. Yugoslavia won bronze. Spain, the host, finished fifth.

After the very uneven games in 1986, the 1990 FIBA World Championship was cut down to 16 teams. This format stayed until 2006. The final games were held in Luna Park in Buenos Aires, where the first tournament was. The 16 teams were divided into four groups. The top two teams from each group moved on to the next stage. Then, the top teams from those groups played in a knockout round. This tournament was the last time Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union would play as single countries.

The Yugoslav team, with stars like Dražen Petrović and Vlade Divac, won the gold medal. They beat the Soviet Union 92-75. This was a fitting end for Yugoslavia, which would soon break into different countries. The Soviet Union won silver in their last tournament. They were already weaker because some countries had declared independence. The USA won bronze, beating Puerto Rico in a very close game. Puerto Rico's fourth-place finish was their best ever. Asian and African teams still struggled, losing all their group games.

NBA Stars Join, USA Dominates (1994)

The 1994 FIBA World Championship was held in Canada. It was full of new things. In 1989, FIBA decided to let NBA players play in future competitions. This started with the 1992 Summer Olympics. At the same time, FIBA dropped the word "Amateur" from its name. The USA sent a team of NBA players, called the "Dream Team II." This team included stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Reggie Miller.

Meanwhile, the Soviet Union had split up, and Russia played instead. The new Yugoslavia (now just Serbia and Montenegro) couldn't play because of a UN ban. But Croatia, a former Yugoslav republic, played for the first time. No team could match the USA's NBA players. The Americans easily won the gold medal, winning every game by a huge average of 37.7 points. In the final, the USA beat Russia 137-91. This was the most one-sided final ever, watched by a record crowd of 32,616 fans. Only Spain gave the Americans any challenge, losing by 15 points. Russia and Croatia won silver and bronze in their first tournament. Germany also played for the first time since their country reunified. China finished eighth, becoming the first Asian team to reach the second group stage.

Lockout, Yugoslavia Wins Again (1998)

The 1998 FIBA World Championship in Athens was less exciting because of an NBA lockout. This meant American NBA players couldn't play. Not many people watched the USA's first game. But the American team, made of college and amateur players, did better than expected. They won the bronze medal against the host team, Greece. New teams appeared again. Lithuania, a former Soviet republic, played for the first time. But the most impressive debut was the new Yugoslavia team, made up of Serbia and Montenegro. Even without some of their best players, Yugoslavia won the gold medal over Russia. They picked up right where they left off eight years before.

New Teams Rise, USA Struggles (2002–2006)

The 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis started a new time in international basketball. Since 1963, only Brazil, the Soviet Union (or Russia), Yugoslavia (or its new countries), and the USA had won medals. The USA had NBA players, and Yugoslavia and Russia were still strong. So, no one thought other teams would win medals. But things were changing. Many top NBA players didn't want to play for the USA. Russia's best players were getting older. And a new tournament format made it easier for other teams to win.

The USA started the tournament with five wins. But then, Argentina shocked them in the next group stage game. Argentina took a 20-point lead and held on to win 87-80. This ended the USA's 58-game winning streak in tournaments with NBA players. Yugoslavia also struggled. This meant the USA and Yugoslavia would play each other in the quarterfinals. Only one of these favorites could win a medal. The USA was shocked again, losing 81-78. Yugoslavia went on to win gold. The USA lost again to Spain and finished sixth. Russia didn't even make it out of the second group stage, finishing tenth. Argentina won silver, their first medal since 1950. Germany won bronze, their first ever medal. Angola (African champion) and China (Asian champion) also did better, reaching the second group stage.

After the 2002 tournament showed that more teams could win, FIBA decided to expand the 2006 tournament to 24 teams. This was the first time since the 1986 expansion. FIBA said this was because basketball was getting better all over the world. They also removed the second group stage. Instead, the top four teams from each group of six would go straight to a 16-team knockout stage. The host and Olympic champion got automatic spots. Other spots were given to teams from Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. FIBA also gave four special invitations to teams like Serbia and Montenegro. Russia was not there for the first time since 1959. A record 44 NBA players played in the event.

The expansion worked well this time. Teams from Africa, Asia, and Oceania had improved a lot. On the first day, Nigeria beat the defending champions, Serbia and Montenegro! Nine European teams made it to the knockout stage. But for the first time, two African teams, Angola and Nigeria, joined them. China was the only Asian team to advance. Lebanon also did well, beating France in group play. Australia and New Zealand also made it to the knockout stage. Teams from the Americas struggled the most. Brazil, Panama, and Venezuela were sent home early. This showed how much basketball had grown in other parts of the world.

In the end, Argentina, Greece, Spain, and the United States all won all their group games. Because of the new format, these strong teams met in the semifinals. In the first semifinal, Spain narrowly beat Argentina 75-74. This guaranteed Spain their first ever World Championship medal. In the second semifinal, Greece beat the USA's NBA players 101-95. The USA couldn't stop Greece's offense. The final between first-time medalists Spain and Greece was not very close. Greece's shooting went cold, and Spain won 70-47. The USA recovered to win the bronze medal over Argentina.

USA Returns to the Top (2010–2014)

After the success of the 2006 tournament, the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey also had 24 teams. 41 NBA players participated. Again, European teams did very well early on. Nine out of ten European teams made it to the knockout stage. Only Germany went home early. Six European teams reached the quarterfinals, the same as in 2006. For the second tournament in a row, the USA and Argentina were the only non-European teams in the quarterfinals. Both Oceanian teams were knocked out early, as were the only African (Angola) and Asian (China) teams.

Defending champions Spain struggled without their star player, Pau Gasol. They lost two of their first three games and were knocked out by Serbia in the quarterfinals. Top-ranked Argentina also lost in the quarterfinals. Argentina later beat Spain for fifth place. The USA again brought a team of NBA players. But none of the gold medal winners from the 2008 Olympics returned. Instead, the USA had a young team led by 21-year-old Kevin Durant. They won all their group games for the second tournament in a row. Host Turkey and Lithuania, both hoping for their first medal, also won all their group games.

For the second straight tournament, all four group winners easily made it to the semifinals. The USA played Lithuania, and host Turkey played Serbia. The USA easily beat Lithuania. Turkey won against Serbia with a last-second shot from Kerem Tunçeri, sending them to the final. Turkey became the first host team to reach the final since Yugoslavia in 1970. In the bronze medal game, Lithuania beat Serbia to win their first ever World Championship medal. Lithuania's win and Turkey's final appearance meant that new medal winners had appeared in each of the last three tournaments. The USA then stopped Turkey's amazing run in the final. They became the first team to win four World Championships.

The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup was held in Spain. This was the first time Europe hosted two championships in a row. The USA dominated this tournament, winning all nine of their games. They won their record fifth gold medal, led by Kyrie Irving. They beat Serbia 129-92 to win their second straight gold medal. France beat Lithuania to win their first ever medal.

In 2012, FIBA announced big changes for after 2014. The World Cup schedule would change. In the future, it would be held the year after the FIFA World Cup. So, there would be no World Cup in 2018. The next one would be in 2019. Also, the tournament would expand to 32 teams in 2019.

A New Era Begins (2019–Current)

The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup was held in China. This was the first time China hosted the tournament. This 2019 World Cup had a record 32 teams playing. The defending champions, the United States, did not make it to the finals. They lost to France in the quarterfinals. This was the first World Cup where all three of the most successful teams (USA, Serbia/Yugoslavia, and Russia/Soviet Union) failed to reach the semifinals. It was also the worst result ever for the USA men's team at a World Cup.

Spain won their second title after beating Argentina in the final. France won the bronze medal for the second time in a row, beating Australia.

The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup was special because it was hosted by three countries: the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. It was the second World Cup in a row held in Asia. It was also the first time a host nation didn't qualify to play. Defending champions Spain didn't make the quarterfinals for the first time since 1994. The Olympic champions, the United States, didn't win a medal for the second tournament in a row. Several teams, including Latvia and South Sudan, played in the tournament for the first time. Latvia did very well, finishing in 5th place.

In their first ever final, Germany won their first title! They beat Serbia. Led by Dennis Schröder, Germany became only the seventh country to win the World Cup. Canada won the bronze medal, their first ever medal in World Cup history, after beating the United States.

The 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be held in the Arab world for the first time. Qatar will host the event. It will be the third World Cup in a row held in Asia.

How the Tournament Works

The FIBA Basketball World Cup has changed its format many times. From 1950 to 2010, the number of teams varied from 10 to 24. Before 1978, the tournament usually had two group stages. The final round was often a "round-robin," where every team played every other team. Since 1978, the tournament has used a group stage followed by a "single-elimination tournament." This means if you lose, you're out! This knockout style decides the champion.

Here's a look at how each tournament was set up:

(*) Results from the first stage between qualified teams are carried over to the second stage.

(**) All results from the first stage are carried over to the second stage.

Year	Host	Teams	Preliminary round	Latter stages	Classification round
1950	Argentina	10	Double elim tournament	A group of 6	A group of 4
1954	Brazil	12	4 groups of 3	A group of 8	A group of 4
1959	Chile	13	3 groups of 4	A group of 7	2 groups of 3, then positional matches
1963	Brazil	13	3 groups of 4	A group of 7	A group of 6
1967	Uruguay	13	3 groups of 4	A group of 7	A group of 6
1970	Yugoslavia	13	3 groups of 4	A group of 7	A group of 6
1974	Puerto Rico	14	3 groups of 4	A group of 8 (*)	A group of 6 (*)
1978	Philippines	14	3 groups of 4	A group of 8 (*) ; then positional matches for gold, bronze, 5th and 7th	A group of 6 (*)
1982	Colombia	13	3 groups of 4	A group of 7 (*), then positional matches for gold and bronze	A group of 6 (*)
1986	Spain	24	4 groups of 6	2 groups of 6 (*), knockout of 4 teams (group 1sts and 2nds)	Knockout for 5th between group 3rds and 4ths, for 9th between 5ths and 6ths, and 5th and 6ths teams in prelims tied for 13th
1990	Argentina	16	4 groups of 4	2 groups of 4, knockout of 4 teams (group 1sts and 2nds). 5th to 8th: knockout of 4 teams (group 3rds and 4ths).	2 groups of 4. 9th to 12th: knockout of 4 teams (group 1sts and 2nds). 13th to 16th: knockout of 4 teams (group 3rds and 4ths).
1994	Canada	16	4 groups of 4	2 groups of 4, knockout of 4 teams (group 1sts and 2nds). 5th to 8th: knockout of 4 teams (group 3rds and 4ths).	2 groups of 4. 9th to 12th: knockout of 4 teams (group 1sts and 2nds). 13th to 16th: knockout of 4 teams (group 3rds and 4ths).
1998	Greece	16	4 groups of 4	2 groups of 6 (**), knockout of 8 teams (group 1sts to 4ths)	Knockout for 9th between 5ths and 6ths of the 2nd phase, knockout for 13th between prelim group 4ths
2002	United States	16	4 groups of 4	2 groups of 6 (**), knockout of 8 teams (group 1sts to 4ths)	Knockout for 9th between 5ths and 6ths of the 2nd phase, knockout for 13th between prelim group 4ths
2006	Japan	24	4 groups of 6	Knockout of 16 teams	Knockout for 5th place. Losers of Round of 16 tied for 9th. Prelim round 5ths tied for 17th, 6ths tied for 21st
2010	Turkey	24	4 groups of 6	Knockout of 16 teams	Knockout for 5th place. Losers of Round of 16 listed 9th to 16th according to final record. Prelim round 5ths tied for 17th, 6ths tied for 21st
2014	Spain	24	4 groups of 6	Knockout of 16 teams	Prelim round 5ths tied for 17th, 6ths tied for 21st
2019	China	32	8 groups of 4	4 groups of 4 (), knockout of 8 teams. 5th to 8th: Knockout for 5th place. Group 3rds listed 9th to 12th and group 4ths listed 13th to 16th according to final record.	4 groups of 4 (). Group 1sts listed 17th to 20th, group 2nds listed 21st to 24th, group 3rds listed 25th to 28th and group 4ths listed 29th to 32nd according to final record.
2023	Philippines  Japan  Indonesia	32	8 groups of 4	4 groups of 4 (), knockout of 8 teams. 5th to 8th: Knockout for 5th place. Group 3rds listed 9th to 12th and group 4ths listed 13th to 16th according to final record.	4 groups of 4 (). Group 1sts listed 17th to 20th, group 2nds listed 21st to 24th, group 3rds listed 25th to 28th and group 4ths listed 29th to 32nd according to final record.
2027	Qatar	32	8 groups of 4	Knockout of 8 teams	TBD

See also

• FIBA Basketball World Cup
• National team appearances in the FIBA Basketball World Cup
• FIBA Basketball World Cup records
• FIBA World Championship for Women