Qatar reached another important milestone in its quest to host major sports events as the country won the bid to host the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2027. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced the decision at its meeting in Manila, Philippines on Friday after unanimous decision in Qatar’s favour by its Central Board.
Qatar over the past two decades has become the centre of sports staging major events in nearly all sports disciplines. Particularly in the last few years, the Gulf State has become the hub of sports world hosting top-notch competitions like the world championships of athletics, handball and gymnastics. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 dubbed the best ever football showpiece is jewel in the crown of country’s rich history of organising mega competitions.
Qatar’s win in the bid came after a thorough evaluation of Qatar’s Candidature File and Final Presentation which showcased a compelling vision, concept, and narrative for the event. By hosting the basketball World Cup, Qatar, which hosted the first ever FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world, will make more history as Qatar 2027 will be the first FIBA flagship event to be held in the Middle East and the North Africa region.
Among the reasons which paved the way for Qatar’s success in the bid were the already available world-class competition venues, the country’s commitment to sport as a platform for realising national development goals and its enthusiasm to continue the development of basketball at all levels locally. Also, Qatar’s celebrated portfolio of mega-sport events hosting gave FIBA the confidence to confirm the decision without hesitation.
Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and President of Qatar 2027 Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain said Qatar will host an exceptional edition of the tournament. “Qatar believes in the national importance of sport, and a big part of the Qatar Olympic Committee’s Strategy for 2023-2030 is to host major sport events and deliver them at the highest standards,” he said.
President of the Qatar Basketball Association and CEO of Qatar 2027 Mohammed Saad Al Mughaiseeb said: “We are very excited about this new chapter in our partnership [with FIBA], which will no doubt help us realise our shared goals. We cannot wait to welcome players, fans and the entire FIBA Family to Qatar in 2027 for what will be an incredible and historic celebration of Basketball.”
Just like Qatar 2022, Qatar 2027 will be sustainable and will leave a lasting legacy. The country sets new benchmarks whenever it hosts any major event and the basketball World Cup will be no different.
