Indonesia is getting ready to co-host the FIBA Basketball World Cup from the 25th of August to the 3rd of September 2023 after the new stadium, Indonesia Arena with a capacity of up to sixteen thousand people was ready to use.
The indoor stadium at Gelora Bung Karno complex was built after Indonesia was awarded the privilege of hosting, the FIBA tournament’s group stage alongside Japan and the Philippines.
“Indonesia will be in the spotlight next month because we will co-host the Basketball World Cup. We already have a new grand stadium where the reigning world champion and number one team in the world, Spain, will play,” State-Owned Enterprise Minister Erick Thohir said in a statement on Friday, 21st of July 2023.
“We must become a good host and ensure the success of this Basketball World Cup tournament to strengthen Indonesia’s reputation,” Erick, who also serves on the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) board of directors, added.
Erick urged Indonesian basketball fans to take advantage of the opportunity to see world-class basketball games live at the Indonesia Arena, where many players from the top-tier competition NBA would compete.
Indonesia will host the group-phase games for Group G, which includes Spain, Iran, Ivory Coast, and Brazil, and Group H, which includes Canada, Latvia, Lebanon, and France.
“This is a very rare opportunity–the opportunity to host the basketball world cup may not come again in 10 or 20 years,” Erick remarked.
Top NBA players expected to compete in the FIBA Basketball World Cup tournament include:
- Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)
- Kristaps Porzingis (Boston Celtics)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Davis Bertans (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier (New York Knicks)
- Dillon Brooks (Houston Rockets), Lu Dort (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker
- Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)
- Kelly Olynyk (Utah Jazz)
- Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks)
- Oshae Brissett (Boston Celtics)
- Cory Joseph (Golden State Warriors)
- Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers)
- Ricky Rubio (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Santi Aldama (Memphis Grizzlies)
- Usman Garuba (Atlanta Hawks).
Interested in this topic? Check out our other articles from Social Expat:
