The Ultimate Guide to FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China

By Ryan Gandolfo, 2019-08-07 07:05:00

Basketball fans in the Middle Kingdom are in for a real treat! FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 will tip off in eight cities around China – the first time the tournament has ever been held in the country. 

Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Nanjing, Dongguan and Foshan will welcome elite ballers from 31 participating countries (and one territory), a record number of squads for the global basketball competition.

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Image via @fibawc/Instagram

The games will run from August 31 to September 15, with two rounds of group phase before moving to a 16-team, single-elimination tournament. In the early stages, Beijingers can watch China go toe-to-toe with Venezuela, Poland and Cote d’Ivoire. In Shanghai, the USA leads a group with Turkey, Japan and the Czech Republic. Down in the Greater Bay Area, you can catch Spain, Italy, Serbia, France, Canada, Australia and more great teams go head-to-head. 

After the group stage, quarterfinals matches will be held in Dongguan and Shanghai before moving to Beijing for the semi-finals and final game.

For those not familiar with FIBA Basketball World Cup – it’s the real deal. Many of the NBA’s budding stars and savvy vets toss on their country’s jersey and ball out with pride. 

This year, the Americans are the favorites after taking home the gold in the two previous FIBA World Cups. Led by the best in the business, Coach Gregg Popovich, the US team is notably fielding less star power than previous tournaments. Kyle Lowry, Harrison Barnes and Kemba Walker are set to battle alongside their young teammates to secure their nation’s third consecutive gold medal, while also trying to automatically qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

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Image via @usabasketball/Instagram

However, nothing is set in stone, with very strong squads in Canada, Australia, Spain and Serbia vying for the coveted gold. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, dubbed the ‘Greek Freak,’ is widely considered the cream of the crop in the basketball world after securing his first-ever NBA Most Valuable Player award. He recently stated he would exchange his hard-earned MVP title for the gold medal in China. Giannis and his two brothers will be leading the Greek squad in the pursuit of becoming world champions.

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Image via @giannis_an34/Instagram

Below, we give you a breakdown of the tournament schedule for each city, providing venue locations and ticket links.

Beijing

Poland vs. Venezuela
Sat, Aug 31. 4pm. Wukesong Sport Arena. Tickets.

Cote d’Ivoire vs. China
Sat, Aug 31. 8pm. Wukesong Sport ArenaTickets.

Venezuela vs. Cote d’Ivoire
Mon, Sept 2. 4pm. Wukesong Sport ArenaTickets.

China vs. Poland
Mon, Sept 2. 8pm. Wukesong Sport ArenaTickets.

Cote d’Ivoire vs. Poland
Wed, Sept 4. 4pm. Wukesong Sport ArenaTickets.

Venezuela vs. China
Wed, Sept 4. 8pm. Wukesong Sport ArenaTickets.

Cote d’Ivoire vs. Poland
Wed, Sept 4. 8pm. Wukesong Sport ArenaTickets.

Dongguan

Canada vs. Australia
Sun, Sept 1. 3.30pm. Dongguan Basketball CenterTickets.

Senegal vs. Lithuania
Sun, Sept 1. 7.30pm. Dongguan Basketball CenterTickets.

Australia vs. Senegal
Tue, Sept 3. 3.30pm. Dongguan Basketball CenterTickets.

Lithuania vs. Canada
Tue, Sept 3. 7.30pm. Dongguan Basketball CenterTickets.

Canada vs. Senegal
Thu, Sept 5. 3.30pm. Dongguan Basketball CenterTickets.

Lithuania vs. Australia
Thu, Sept 5. 7.30pm. Dongguan Basketball CenterTickets.

Foshan

Italy vs. Angola
Mon, Sept 2. 3.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural ArenaTickets.

Angola vs. Serbia
Sat, Aug 31. 3.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural ArenaTickets.

Philippines vs. Italy
Sat, Aug 31. 7.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural ArenaTickets.

Serbia vs. Philippines
Mon, Sept 2. 7.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural ArenaTickets.

Angola vs. Philippines
Wed, Sept 4. 3.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural ArenaTickets.

Italy vs. Serbia
Wed, Sept 4. 7.30pm. Foshan International Sports & Cultural ArenaTickets.

Guangzhou

Iran vs. Puerto Rico
Sat, Aug 31. 4.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.

Spain vs. Tunisia
Sat, Aug 31. 8.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.

Spain vs. Tunisia
Sat, Aug 31. 8.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.

Tunisia vs. Iran
Mon, Sept 1. 4.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.

Puerto Rico vs. Spain
Mon, Sept 2. 8.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.

Puerto Rico vs. Tunisia
Wed, Sept 4. 4.30pm. Guangzhou Gymnasium. Tickets.

Spain vs. Iran
Wed, Sept 4. 8.30pm. Guangzhou GymnasiumTickets.

Nanjing

New Zealand vs. Brazil
Sun, Sept 1. 4pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport ParkTickets.

Greece vs. Montenegro
Sun, Sept 1. 8pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport ParkTickets.

Montenegro vs. New Zealand
Tue, Sept 3. 4pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport ParkTickets.

Brazil vs. Greece
Tue, Sept 3. 8pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport ParkTickets.

Brazil vs. Montenegro
Thu, Sept 5. 4pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport ParkTickets.

Greece vs. New Zealand
Thu, Sept 5. 8pm. Gymnasium of Youth Olympic Games Sport ParkTickets.

Shanghai

Turkey vs. Japan
Sun, Sept 1. 4.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports CenterTickets.

Czech Republic vs. USA
Sun, Sept 1. 8.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports CenterTickets.

Japan vs. Czech Republic
Tue, Sept 3. 4.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports CenterTickets.

USA vs. Turkey
Tue, Sept 3. 8.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports CenterTickets.

Turkey vs. Czech Republic
Thu, Sept 5. 4.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports CenterTickets.

USA vs. Japan
Thu, Sept 5. 8.30pm. Shanghai Oriental Sports CenterTickets.

Shenzhen

Dominican Republic vs. Jordan
Sun, Sept 1. 4.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.

France vs. Germany
Sun, Sept 1. 8.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.

Germany vs. Dominican Republic
Tue, Sept 3. 4.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.

Jordan vs. France
Tue, Sept 3. 8.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.

Germany vs. Jordan
Thu, Sept 5. 4.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.

Dominican Republic vs. France
Thu, Sept 5. 8.30pm. Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Tickets.

Wuhan

Russia vs. Nigeria
Sat, Aug 31. 4.30pm. Wuhan Sports Center. Tickets.

Argentina vs. Korea
Sat, Aug 31. 8.30pm. Wuhan Sports Center. Tickets.

Nigeria vs. Argentina
Mon, Sept 2. 4.30pm. Wuhan Sports CenterTickets.

Korea vs. Russia
Mon, Sept 2. 8.30pm. Wuhan Sports CenterTickets.

Korea vs. Nigeria
Wed, Sept 4. 4.30pm. Wuhan Sports CenterTickets.

Russia vs. Argentina
Wed, Sept 4. 8.30pm. Wuhan Sports CenterTickets.

[Cover image via NBA/FIBA]