Fraport Skyliners to host Guaros de Lara in FIBA Intercontinental Cup

MUNICH (FIBA Intercontinental Cup) - Basketball fans in Europe, the Americas and around the world are in a for a treat when Fraport Skyliners of Germany and Guaros de Lara of Venezuela contest this year’s FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Frankfurt, on 18 September. 

The FIBA Intercontinental Cup is an annual traditional match-up featuring the winners of FIBA’s top club competitions in Europe and Americas and this year it will be played in the German financial capital Frankfurt, home of the FIBA Europe Cup winners, Fraport Skyliners. 

Guaros are the defending Americas champions - the first Venezuelan club in history to lift the trophy, after overcoming Brazilian club Bauru in the Final Four of DIRECTV Liga de las Americas in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. 

In May's inaugural FIBA Europe Cup Final Four, the Skyliners came from behind against Italian opponents Openjobmetis Varese to lift the trophy in the French city of Chalon. 

"We are very grateful for this unique opportunity to play for the Intercontinental Cup. To do this here in Frankfurt and compete for the world’s highest club title in front of our own fans makes this experience even greater," said Skyliners General Manager Gunnar Woebke. "Apart from the chance to win another international title, it also is an incredible honour. That’s why we did not hesitate when we were asked (to play), and now we are looking forward to this basketball highlight in September." 

"It is an honour for our organisation to have this date coming up, because it is a big challenge to be ambassadors of our league and of our country, and we will leave everything on the court to bring back to Venezuela this Intercontinental Cup,” stated Guaros de Lara President Jorge Hernandez. "Guaros de Lara is the first Venezuelan team to have this opportunity and will do everything to also be the first Venezuelans to win this Cup. We have won over giants because we were born to make history." 

"The 2016 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas was the most successful edition of the competition to date and it is only fitting for Guaros de Lara to make history and become the first champion to play as a visiting team in the relaunch of the Intercontinental Cup," explained FIBA Executive Director Americas, Alberto Garcia. "Guaros de Lara is a great representative of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas, the premier basketball club competition on our continent and we can only thank FIBA Europe Cup and the Fraport Skyliners organisation for contributing to the growth of international basketball globally by being protagonists in this new chapter of the Intercontinental Cup."

"European teams have a fine tradition playing in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup,” expressed FIBA Executive Director Europe, Kamil Novak. “Current champions are Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid, and I am in no doubt that Fraport Skyliners will do their utmost to represent Europe with the same distinction as those teams that came before them." 

Ticketing and broadcast information will follow in due course. 

This coming season the Skyliners will play in the newly established Basketball Champions League.

FIBA