FIBA

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA /ˈfiːbə/ FEE-bə; French: Fédération Internationale de Basketball) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. FIBA defines the rules of basketball, specifies the equipment and facilities required, organizes international competitions, regulates the transfer of athletes across countries, and controls the appointment of international referees. A total of 212 national federations are members, organized since 1989 into five zones: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

FIBA organizes both the men's and women's FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament and the Summer Olympics Basketball Tournament, which are sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The FIBA Basketball World Cup is a world tournament for men's national teams held every four years. Teams compete for the Naismith Trophy, named in honor of basketball's Canadian-American creator James Naismith. The tournament structure is similar but not identical to that of the FIFA World Cup in association football; these tournaments occurred in the same year from 1970 through 2014, but starting in 2019, the Basketball World Cup moved to the year following the FIFA World Cup. A parallel event for women's teams, the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, is also held quadrennial; from 1986 through 2014, it was held in the same year as the men's event but in a different country.

History

Founding and early years (1932–1949)

The association was founded in Geneva in 1932, two years after the sport was officially recognized by the IOC. Before 1934, basketball was under the umbrella of the International Amateur Handball Federation. Its original name was Fédération Internationale de basket-ball amateur. The eight nations' basketball federations that were the founding members of FIBA were: Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland. In September 1934 the Protocol of Stockholm was passed and the FIBA became the only recognized authority responsible for basketball. During the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, the Federation named James Naismith (1861–1939), the founder of basketball, as its Honorary President.

Development (1950–2019)

FIBA has organized a world championship, known as World Cup, for men since 1950 and a women's world championship, known as the Women's World Cup, since 1953. From 1986 through 2014, both events were held every four years, alternating with the Olympics. The men's World Cup was moved to a new four-year cycle, with tournaments in the year before the Summer Olympics, after 2014.

On 7 April 1989, at a special congress in Munich following the conclusion of the 1988–89 FIBA European Cup, FIBA member nations voted, by a margin of 56 to 13, to allow NBA players to participate in its international events, including the World Cup and the Olympics. The change also intended to ward off competition from the Goodwill Games, which was rivaling the Olympics at the time and also seeking to bring NBA players into its basketball events.

The Federation headquarters moved to Munich in 1956, then returned to Geneva in 2002. In 1991, it founded the FIBA Hall of Fame; the first induction ceremony was held on 12 September 2007, during EuroBasket 2007. During its 81st anniversary in 2013, FIBA moved into its new headquarters, "The House of Basketball", at Mies. Andreas Zagklis became the Secretary-General of FIBA on 7 December 2018.

Suspensions of Russia and Belarus (2020–present)

In February 2022, Russia and Belarus were provisionally suspended from international competitions until further notice due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It also suspended the two countries from hosting any competitions.

Presidents

During the 1936 Summer Olympics, the FIBA honored James A. Naismith, the founder of basketball, as their honorary President.

Secretaries General

Structure

Background

Until the 1990s FIBA had various contintental sub-confederations under its jurisdiction. Those were as follows:

• Africa (AFABA)
• Asia (A.B.C.)
• Confederación Panamericana de Baloncesto (COPABA)
• South American Basketball Confederation (CONSUBASQUET)
• Europe (Standing Conference for Europe)
• Oceania (O.B.C.)

Five zones and 212 national federations

There are five zones, in which FIBA oversees the game in the different continents and regions of the world through its regional offices under its new governance structure, which was approved by the 2014 FIBA Extraordinary Congress in Istanbul. National federations are members of FIBA and are provided for in FIBA's General Statutes with their assigned zones. The Statutes also state that upon a national federation's admission into FIBA, it is assigned to a zone by the Central Board.

• FIBA Africa (54 members)
• FIBA Americas (42 members)
• FIBA Asia (44 members)
• FIBA Europe (50 members)
• FIBA Oceania (22 members)

FIBA recognizes 212 national federations; see the list of men's national basketball teams and the list of women's national basketball teams. Unlike other sports organizations, FIBA recognizes the British Basketball Federation as the lone governing body for basketball in Great Britain, as a result of a merger in 2016 between the basketball federations of two of the four Home Nations within the United Kingdom (England and Scotland). Wales had rejected the proposed merger in 2012 but agreed in 2015. Several members of FIBA Oceania, notably Australia and New Zealand, also compete in Asian tournaments.

In 2021, Peru was disaffiliated from FIBA after being suspended in 2018.

The FIBA Men's World Ranking and FIBA Women's World Ranking are both updated after a FIBA competition or qualification window and are based on their performance, particularly in games, in those events. The men's ranking was updated on 10 September 2023 after the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, while the latest women's ranking was updated on 21 August 2023 after the FIBA Women's Continental Cups, which took place in all FIBA zones.

Laws and governance

FIBA's headquarters is located in Mies, Switzerland and is known as the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball, named after the organization's former Secretary-General.

FIBA's supreme body is the FIBA Congress, an assembly of representatives from each affiliated national federation, with each having one vote. The Congress assembles every two years, either an elective or mid-term congress, and is the only body that can make modifications to FIBA's General Statutes. An elective congress elects the FIBA President, Treasurer, and members of the FIBA Central Board, and appoints members of their Ethics and Nominations Panels. Two extraordinary congresses have been held since 1989, with the most recent held in 2014.

The FIBA Central Board is the organization's highest executive body. It comprises 29 people: the president; the secretary-general; the treasurer; 13 members elected by the FIBA Congress; the 5 presidents of each FIBA zone; up to six co-opted members; a representative each from the National Basketball Association and the players. The Board is the body that decides which countries will host the FIBA Basketball World Cup and the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. The Central Board for the term 2023-2027 comprises 27 members.

The president and the secretary general are the main office holders of FIBA and are in charge of its daily administration. Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani was elected president on 23 August 2023 at the FIBA Congress. Andreas Zagklis was appointed secretary-general on 8 December 2018 following the death of Patrick Baumann.

Competitions

Current title holders

World champions

^ A: The Youth Olympic Games are a U-19 event played in FIBA 3x3 format.

3x3 world champions

World club champions

eFIBA Esport World Champions

Continental champions

^ B: FIBA Oceania no longer conducts senior-level championships for either sex. Since 2017, that region's members have competed for FIBA Asia senior championships. FIBA Oceania continues to hold age-grade championships.

Continental club champions

^ C: The top-tier European professional basketball club competitions are complex. The EuroLeague run by Euroleague Basketball and its EuroCup are competing with the FIBA Europe organized competitions. The best European clubs have joined the closed league EuroLeague.

Awards

Most Valuable Player

World rankings

Men's

The following table has the Top 32 men's basketball countries in the world. The Top 32 is here due to the next iteration of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the world's major tournament in men's basketball, anticipating to have 32 countries compete. As such, this table shows the projected teams in the next FIBA Men's WC based on the ranking's algorithm. This list does not consider berths given to countries based on hosting or region status.

Women's

The following table has the Top 16 women's basketball countries in the world. The Top 16 is here due to the next iteration of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, the world's major tournament in women's basketball, anticipating to have 16 countries compete. As such, this table shows the projected teams in the next FIBA Women's WC based on the ranking's algorithm. This list does not consider berths given to countries based on hosting or region status.

Sponsors of FIBA

As of December 2024

FIBA Global Partners

• 1xbet
• Ganten
• Molten
• Nike
• Smart Communications
• TCL Corporation
• Tencent
• Tissot
• Wanda Group
• Yili Group

Other Partners

• Global Supplier: Kuehne + Nagel

Notes

External links

• (in English, French, and Spanish)
• on YouTube