FIBA - Fifteen national teams submit applications for Spain 2014 wild cards

MIES (2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Fifteen national teams from across four FIBA zones met the 30 October deadline to submit their applications for the four wild cards that will complete the line-up for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The 15 applicants are national teams that participated in their respective 2013 continental championships which are qualifying tournament for FIBA's flagship event in Spain next year (30 August-14 September 2014).

They are:
Africa (1) - Nigeria
Americas (3) - Brazil, Canada and Venezuela
Asia (2) - China and Qatar
Europe (9) - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Poland, Russia and Turkey

FIBA will reveal which countries will receive the four wild cards at its Central Board meeting on the weekend of 1-2 February 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. The draw for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup will then take place the following day, Monday 3 February 2014.

No more than three national teams from one FIBA Zone can receive the wild cards.

FIBA's Central Board could decide to shorten the list of candidates bidding for the four wild cards at its next meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina on the weekend of 23-24 November 2013.

The decision on which national teams will receive these wild cards will be made taking into consideration the following criteria:

Sporting and Promotional Aspects
- The popularity of basketball in the country
- The quality and sporting results of the national teams of the country
- The hosting or bidding for hosting of past FIBA events
- The impact of a participation at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in the country in view of the country’s basketball development
- The commitment of the best players from the country to participate at the FIBA Basketball World Cup

Economic Aspects
- The involvement of local television and corporate sector in the domestic and international basketball competitions
- The importance of the country’s market to FIBA’s commercial partners
- The importance of the country to the Organisers of the FIBA Basketball World Cup

Governance Aspects
- Compliance with the Internal Regulations and General Statutes of FIBA
- The quality of the work of the National Federation
- Governmental support to the National Federation
- Participation in FIBA and/or FIBA Zone activities, commissions, et

The four recipients of the wild cards will complete the 24-team field for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Here are the 20 national teams that have already booked their place for Spain 2014.
1 Host Country: Spain
1 Olympic Champion: USA
3 teams from Africa: Angola, Egypt and Senegal
4 teams from Americas: Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Dominican Republic
3 teams from Asia: Iran, Philippines and Korea
6 teams from Europe: France, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Serbia
2 teams from Oceania: Australia and New Zealand

Go to www.fiba.basketball/spain2014 to find out more about the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

FIBA