Four venues set to host the first basketball World Cup in the Arab World have now been announced.
Al Janoub Stadium will become the first venue to host football and basketball World Cup matches in an effort to connect “two great sporting events”, according to the FIBA World Cup 2027 organising committee.
“Al Janoub will be converted to a Basketball Arena with its capacity exceeding 8,000 spectators’ seats, honouring Qatar’s dedication to sustainability and continuing its legacy,” the committee said in a statement.
All four venues set to be used during the tournament were announced on Wednesday, which marks exactly two years until the flagship event kicks off in Qatar.
Lusail Multipurpose Hall, Duhail Sports Hall, and Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena will be used to stage 92 matches alongside Al Janoub.
The venues will be renamed Lusail Arena, Duhail Arena, Al Attiyah Arena and Al Janoub Arena just for the tournament’s duration to “ensure homogeneity”, the statement added.
Qatar won the bid to host the tournament in April 2023, months after it hosted football’s premier tournament.
Hosting the tournament in 2027 is an effort to “continue the legacy of our country in organising successful sporting events,” President of Qatar Basketball Federation, Mohammed Saad Al-Meghaiseeb, said in a statement.
Conversion of the Al Janoub stadium will be the “pinnacle” of the efforts to link the two World Cups, according to Al-Meghaiseeb, who also serves as the FIBA World Cup 2027’s Director General.
“Three of our venues are ready and we are working on one of the most distinguished projects in the history of our sport to transform a Football Stadium into a Basketball Arena,” he added.
Al Janoub hosted seven matches during the FIFA World Cup 2022 and is one of the seven stadiums built from scratch for the tournament.
It was also used during the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, AFC Asian Cup 2023 and hosted the finale of the COVID-hit AFC Champions League 2020. It also serves as the home of Qatar Stars League side Al Wakrah.
Set to be hosted in the Arab World for the first time, much emphasis has already been put in linking the local culture to the sport, in addition to growing the game in the region.
Earlier this year, basketball’s global governing body FIBA and local organising committee unveiled the tournament’s logo inspired by the Bisht, a cloak reserved for special royal occasions across the Arab world, wrapping around basketball’s ultimate prize, the Naismith Trophy.
“Our main goal for the next two years is to continue to raise awareness and to leave a legacy for the game of Basketball both in Qatar and the whole MENA region,” Al-Meghaiseeb added.
Qatar is also set to host two editions of basketball’s flagship gaming competition, the eFIBA World Finals, in the pre-cursor to the tournament.
On the court, Qatar will appear at the FIBA World Cup for just the second time, having first competed in 2006, where they finished 21st.
Draws for 80 nations competing to punch a ticket in the 32-team finals were held in Doha earlier in May.
Qatar will face the likes of Lebanon, India and neighbours Saudi Arabia in Group D of the first round of Asian qualifiers, treating the fixtures as a preparation to the premier tournament.
