When is the 2023 FIBA World Cup?

After wrapping up their five-game Basketball Showcase exhibition series against Spain, Team USA will now prepare for the 2023 FIBA World Cup which is set to take place from late August through September. The United States, under new head coach Steve Kerr, will face New Zealand in their opening matchup of the tournament on August 26.

2023 FIBA World Cup start date

The 2023 FIBA World Cup will run from August 25 to September 10 and will mark the second iteration of the 32-team format after the additional spots were added in 2019. Similar to the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup over the summer, the 2023 FIBA World Cup will mark a historic first in that multiple countries will host the event. Indonesia will be a host for the first time, while Japan and the Philippines hosted the tournament in 1978 and 2006, respectively.

The tournament will also serve as an automatic qualifier for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris as the top two teams from each of the Americas and Europe, as well as the top team from Africa, Asia, and Oceania, will qualify for the summer games alongside host country France. Spain enters the 2023 tournament as the reigning champions, having beaten Argentina in the 2019 final.

As Team USA prepares for this year’s tournament, fans shouldn’t expect some of the tenured stars such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Stephen Curry to take part in the games. Kerr, who is in his first year at the helm of Team USA, will be taking a roster of rising stars that includes the likes of Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Paolo Banchero to the World Cup.