China 2019 - more basketball than ever!

The vision for a 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China is focused on ‘More than Ever’. Bringing more World Cup than ever, in a place with a potential for more promotion than ever is the guarantee of more Basketball than ever.

For China, more Basketball than ever means developing grassroots sport in general and basketball in particular as one of the country’s main focus sports. The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup will offer China and FIBA a fantastic platform to further develop basketball in all eight host cities, throughout the entire country and around the world.

Currently there are a number of existing programmes in China. However, the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup is a fantastic opportunity to develop new initiatives and enhance these projects. For example, China 2019 has plans to focus on further developing the “Basketball on Campus” initiative, where members of the Chinese national team and international star players participate in basketball matches on school campuses. Also, this programme arranges for kids from distant regions to watch basketball matches on site, further spreading the sport of Basketball.

Other initiatives include promotion of Grassroots Basketball, including CBO series events, urban and regional basketball league matches, 3X3 basketball matches, etc. to further promote basketball development in the bidding cities and regions. With these projects, the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be all about expanding the sport.

China 2019 – Eight host cities ready for action

As China 2019’s bid advances, all eight host cities stand ready and keen to implement more basketball initiatives within their cities and regions. Using their enormous expereience hosting and expertise in the implementation of basketball programmes, the 2019 World Cup in China will be more than a spectacular event. It will open new opportunities for the next generation of athletes in the country.

In additon to their knowledge and support, the eight host cities also bring an economic force to the World Cup. With the host cities and their local governments and sport bureaus guaranteeing full support of the organization and staging of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the FIBA family is ensured a fantastic event.

Mr. Wang Anshun, Mayor of Beijing, said: “We believe that with the guidance and help of the International Basketball Federation, as well as the engagement and support of our people, we will successfully organize the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup if awarded the hosting right of the event, and by doing so make a greater contribution to the progress of basketball worldwide and to the friendship and cooperation between people of China and the rest of the world.”

Beijing launches Youth Tournament

Earlier this month, the China 2019 bid committee welcomed FIBA with a Youth Tournament, highlighting youth development and the China 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Bid. The official launch took place in Beijing’s Chaoyang Park on May 1st.

The goal of this event was to introduce kids to the sport of Basketball and motivate them to take up the sport.

During the tournament, the young participants were joined by Chinese National Team members Guo Ailun and Liu Xiaoyu, who taught them skills and gave them advice about the game. This event is only the first of many more to come in the lead up to the World Cup in 2019.