BEIJING (China) - After three years full of highlights and memorable moments in Singapore, the FIBA Intercontinental Cup is turning a new page, as the event moves to Beijing, China.
The event tips off on September 22, giving us just enough time to introduce the six participating teams.
They will be divided in two groups of three teams. The top two teams will advance to the Semi-Finals (1A vs. 2B, 1B vs. 2A), while the bottom-placed teams from the two groups battle for fifth in the event.
The FIBA Intercontinental Cup will crown its new champion on September 27.
Last three events
Year | Champion | 2nd place | 3rd place | 4th place | 5th place | 6th place |
2023 | Sesi Franca (BRA) | Telekom Baskets Bonn (GER) | Zhejiang Golden Bulls (CHN) | Al Ahly EGY) | NBA G League Ignite (USA) | Al Manama (BRN) |
2024 | Unicaja (ESP) | NBA G League United (USA) | Tasmania JackJumpers (AUS) | Al Riyadi (LBN) | Petro de Luanda (ANG) | Quimsa (ARG) |
2025 | Unicaja (ESP) | NBA G League United (USA) | Alahli SC (LBA) | Flamengo (BRA) | Illawarra Hawks (AUS) | Utsunomiya Brex (JPN) |
How did they get here?
The Beijing Royal Fighters are the home team of the Intercontinental Cup, welcoming five other teams to their city.
They were founded in 2009, but their major breakthrough happened once they relocated to Beijing in 2015, adopting the name Beikong Fly Dragons from 2015 to 2019, and renaming themselves to Royal Fighters in 2019.
Last season, they narrowly missed out on a spot in the Play-Ins, finishing the CBA Regular Season at 18-24, the same record as 12th-placed Guangzhou, but without a tiebreaker, meaning Guangzhou grabbed the last Play-Ins ticket.
In the Intercontinental Cup, they will attempt to become the first Chinese team to reach the Final, as Zhejiang Golden Bulls' third place finish in 2023 remains the country's best finish in this competition.
Who are they facing in Beijing?
The hosts will open up proceedings on September 22, taking on Basketball Champions League Americas winners Boca Juniors.
Just 24 hours later, they will be on the court again, facing the back-to-back finalists from the NBA G League United.
Who are the players to watch?
Coach Charalampis Markopoulos is calling the shots from the bench, and don't be surprised if he dials Grant Riller's number on offense.
Riller is a 29-year-old guard who has been a part of this project since 2023, and he improved his scoring numbers in each season, finishing fourth in the CBA in scoring last season with 22.6 points per game.
The team brought in Javonte Cooke this summer, ready to help out in the backcourt after spending the last season with the Portland Trail Blazers and their G League affiliate Rip City Remix, known for his high flying dunks.
Another former Blazer on this roster is Harry Giles III, bringing in 165 games of NBA experience, entering his third season in China, the first as a Royal Fighter.
They will also have one of the best passers in China on their roster, as Sanning Liao dished out 6.1 assists per game last season, to go along with his 12.9 points per game.
Keep an eye on Yuchen Zou under the rims, the 2.07m (6'9'') center who played for China at the 2016 Olympics, and is one of the major reasons - alongside Zijie Shen - why the Royal Fighters were the third-best shot-blocking team in CBA last season at 3.9 per game.
Full roster
Schedule and tickets
You can find the full schedule here. Tickets are available here.