MUNICH (2016 FIBA European Youth Championships) - A record 252 European men's and women's teams, split across 16 championships, were drawn to play in the 2016 FIBA European youth championships in Munich, Germany on Friday. 

Following the opening remarks from FIBA Executive Director Europe Kamil Novak, FIBA Europe President Turgay Demirel spoke with great pride of the recent achievements by FIBA Europe, which has seen a steady increase in the number of teams participating in European youth championships.

"When this current FIBA Europe Board began its term, we had 221 teams, this is now up to 252 teams," expressed President Demirel.

This, he explained, comes as a direct result of the increased financial commitment by FIBA Europe in youth basketball.

"In 2014, 2.3 million Euros were invested into our national federations with teams participating in youth championships. This was then increased to 2.8 million Euros in 2015."

President Demirel then stressed that the growth should not stop here and announced that the funding will increase to 4 million Euros in 2016, and again in 2017, with the aim of every one of the 52 European federations having teams competing in each of the three age categories, for both men and women.

The European youth championships are divided into three age categories: U20, U18 and U16, with all championships taking place in the months of July and August.

U18 and U16 will be contested in three Divisions (A, B and C), whilst U20 is contested for in Division A and B.

In every age category, the best three finishing Division B teams will move into Division A for 2017, whilst in return, the bottom three Division A teams drop to Division B.

In addition to the youth championship draws, the teams were also drawn for the biannual FIBA European Championships for Small Countries.

Nine teams will compete in the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in Moldova from 26 June to 7 July, whilst the FIBA Women's European Championship for Small Countries will be contested in Gibraltar by six teams, beginning on 28 June, but also finishing on 7 July.

Click here to download a file with the results of all draws.

FIBA