MIES (Switzerland) - The third window of 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers was a spectacle wherever games were played.
The players put on a show, and so did the fans.
The viewing was top notch because players like three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic were on display.
Jokic captained Serbia for the first time and led them to two wins, including one at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade on Monday against Bosnia and Herzegovina. A triple-double machine in the NBA, Jokic finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a 94-81 Serbia victory in front of more than 7,200 spectators.
A few days before at the BCF in Fribourg, the Swiss had 8,113 fans in house, and they cheered on the "Rossocrociati" (red crosses) against Jokic and Co.
Serbia, after a hard 33 minutes, pulled away for a 97-73 victory.
The basketball heartbeat in the Americas was felt in Canada, who had big audiences for two games.
At the TD Coliseum in Hamilton on July 4, there were 9,826 fans to see two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Andrew Nembard pace Canada in a 110-84 win over Puerto Rico.
At the same venue a few days later, the same stars played as Canada claimed a resounding victory over Jamaica before an even larger crowd of 10,441.
The largest crowd of the week numbered 14,508 at the Sinam Erdem Sports Hall in Istanbul on Monday. Türkiye continued to build on their EuroBasket 2025 Final appearance by beating Switzerland for a sixth win in as many European Qualifiers games.
A big audience had preceded that on Friday, July 3, in Helsinki, as the Lauri Markkanen-led Finns defeated an Hungary. In the 12,500 capacity Veikkaus Arena, there were 12,489 spectators, many of them clad in wolf costumes, as Markkanen and Co claimed a 85-77 Susijengi victory.
In Stockholm on July 3, a capacity crowd of 9,000 cheered wildly as Sweden defeated Czechia 87-76. There was no margin for error for the Scandinavians as they needed two wins in the window to advance to the Second Round.
A satisfied crowd of 9,219 in the Xiaomi Arena in Riga saw Latvia roll to a big victory over Austria on Monday.
The majority of the 8,155 spectators inside the Sunel Arena in Athens did not go home happy on July 5 because Portugal, building on their terrific EuroBasket 2025, upset Greece, 71-56.
France had 7,131 inside the Palais des Sports de Pau to see Les Bleus romp to a 98-67 victory over Finland on Monday.
One of France's latest NBA stars, Maxime Raynaud of Sacramento, had his best game for the senior team with 16 points and 7 rebounds.
At the Tauron Arena in Krakow on Monday, 8,110 fans were in the clouds as Poland improved to 6-0 with a 92-84 triumph over the Netherlands to improve to 6-0 and fuel hopes of a return to the World Cup. Poland reached the Quarter-Finals the 2019 World Cup in China.
In Malaga on July 2, 6,685 were in the Caja Magica as Spain defeated Denmark, while the following day in Tallinn's Unibet Arena, a capacity crowd of 6,958 watched Estonia win big over Slovenia, 98-69.
The biggest attendance in Asia in the third window was in China on July 3. The Liaoning Coliseum was filled to the brim with 11,000 spectators (above) to watch the country's home game against Japan, a 92-73 win for the visitors.
New Zealand had one of their largest ever window crowds with 8,690 watching in the Spark Arena on July 3.
The Tall Blacks edged the Philippines after two overtimes, 106-102.
The Philippines also had their fans show up in big numbers on Monday at the RAC Arena in Australia, with many a Gilas supporter in the stands.
There were 10,037 spectators in all for that game, which was won convincingly by the Boomers. In their home game a few days before, Australia had 5,580 see them win big against Guam.
The Goyang Gymnasium in Korea was twice packed in the third window. There were 6,289 to see Chinese Taipei's amazing overtime triumph on July 3 while on Monday, 6,298 Koreans roared their approval during a fourth quarter comeback that ended with a 81-79 victory.
That result allowed Korea to advance to the Second Round of the Asian Qualifiers.
Saudi Arabia thrilled their fans last year when they hosted the FIBA Asia Cup and it was more of the same in this window. On July 2 at King Abdullah Sports City, 4,217 spectators saw their game against Lebanon, a 88-82 win for the visitors.
India didn't progress to the Second Round yet they had a tremendous atmosphere at both of their games in the Veer Savarkar Indoor Stadium.
A 3,587-strong crowd cheered them on in a 65-56 defeat to Qatar on July 2, and 4,597 watched them against Lebanon on Sunday, a game the Cedars won 98-72.
The atmosphere was incredible in the Palacio de Deportes in Santo Domingo, with 7,200 to watch the Dominican Republic against USA. The Americans won, 82-81.
A crowd of 6,895 at the same venue saw the Dominicans rebound on Monday night with a 99-76 victory over Nicaragua.
In Montevideo, Uruguay took on Argentina on July 2 with 6,675 fans on hand at the Antel Arena. Argentina broke open a close game in the fourth quarter and won, 91-76.
In Africa, Angola's game on July 5 against Mali in Luanda captured the imagination with 6,000 supporters cheering them on to a 88-74 triumph. In the same Pavilhao Multisos de Kilamba the night before, there were 4,000 to see Angola fall 79-73 to Egypt.
The Stade Marius N'Diaye in Dakar was buzzing on July 2 because Senegal defeated Cote d'Ivoire, 85-72, in a pivotal game, with 3,400 singing and dancing fans in attendance.
After two more wins, over Madagascar and Democratic Republic of Congo, before 3,450 supporters, Senegal clinched top spot in the First Round Group.
FIBA