Meet the 32 qualified teams of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is only a few months away. With the last window of the Qualifiers recently wrapped up, all of the qualification spots for the World Cup have been confirmed by 32 teams. 

Meet those teams that will be competing for the Naismith Trophy later this year from 25 August to 10 September in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

Philippines

Co-hosts Philippines will be on the world stage for the sixth time - and second time as host nation after 1978, which was the last time they finished in the top eight. The world number 40 team will be playing in the World Cup for a third straight time and qualified for the 2023 World Cup as co-hosts. Philippines’ best performance came in 1954 when they grabbed third place.

Japan

Co-hosts Japan will be welcoming fans to the World Cup for a second time following 2006. The Japanese are making their sixth appearance in the global event and participating in back-to-back events for the first time since 1963 and 1967. Their top showing came in 1967 with 11th place. The number 38 ranked team in the world qualified for the 2023 World Cup as co-host nation.

Angola

Angola will be on the global stage for the ninth time in the last 10 World editions - including the last six - locking up their spot in the final window. The African country, which is ranked 41st in the world  (as of the 18 November 2022 update), twice advanced from the First Round - losing to France in the Round of 16 in 2006 and falling to United States at the same stage in 2010. 

Australia

Australia have qualified for the World Cup for a fifth straight time and will be making a 13th appearance in the last 14 events, missing out only in 2002. The third-ranked team in the world finally reached the Semi-Finals at the 2019 World Cup for their best-ever finish. The Boomers booked their World Cup ticket in the November 2022 window by knocking off Kazakhstan to remain undefeated in Asian Qualifiers to that point.

Brazil

Brazil is one of two countries to qualify for all 19 World Cups (along with USA) after the South Americans locked up their spot for 2023 in the final game. Brazil, who are ranked 13th in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), are two-time champions (1959 and 1963) and have six podium finishes. They finished in the top four eight times but none since 1990 with only three top-eight results since then - the latest coming in 2014.

Canada

Canada locked up back-to-back World Cup showings for the first time since playing in nine straight events from 1970 to 2002. It will be the 15th appearance on the global stage for the world number 15 team. Canada, who best showing was sixth place, celebrated clinching their World Cup spot at home in November by defeating Venezuela.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde will be taking the big stage this summer for the first time after securing their spot in Africa in the final window. Cape Verde, who are ranked number 66 in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), have played at seven FIBA AfroBaskets, taking third place in 2007 and finishing fourth in 2021.

China

China are back in the World Cup for the 10th time including the fifth in last six editions. The hosts from 2019 are ranked 27th in the world and finished eighth at the 1994 World Cup. China won both games in the November 2022 window to secure a spot in the World Cup.

Cote d'Ivoire

Cote d'Ivoire return to the World Cup for the fifth time and secured back-to-back berths for the second time following 1986 and 1990. The Africans, who are ranked 43rd in the world, have now made three of the last four editions. Their top result was 13th place in 1986 and 1990. They were the first African team to advance from the Qualifiers in August 2022. 


Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic clinched their spot in the World Cup in the final game and they will be returning to FIBA’s flagship for the third straight edition - and fourth overall. The Dominicans, who are ranked 25th in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), won two games to finish 13th in 2014 and picked up two wins in the First Round in 2019 to advance to the Second Round and ended up in 16h place.

Egypt

Egypt will embark on their sixth trip to the World Cup as they secured their ticket to Asia in the final window of the African Qualifiers. The number 55 team in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update) missed out on China 2019 and last played at a World Cup in 2014. Before that, the northern Africans had been absent since 1994.

Finland

Finland were the first team to qualify from the European Qualifiers in the August 2022 window - making their return to the World Cup after missing out in 2019. The Finns, ranked number 24th in the world, reached the World Cup for the first time in 2014, when they finished 22nd.

France

France will be heading to the World Cup for the fifth straight time and have finished third in the last two events - their best result thus far. The world’s fifth-ranked team would love to reach the podium again in their ninth overall appearance. France were one of many teams who secured their spot in the 2023 World Cup in the November 2022 window.

Georgia

Georgia head to the World Cup this summer for the first time, locking up their spot in their final game of the European Qualifiers. The eastern Europeans, ranked 32 in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), have become a regular on the continental stage, making the last five FIBA EuroBaskets and even co-hosting the event in 2022. And now they will play on the global stage.

Germany

Germany will be competing in the World Cup for the fifth time in the last six editions - missing out in 2014. The Germans, ranked number 11 in the world, grabbed third place in 2002 but finished a worst-ever 18th in 2019. The third-placed finishers from the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 secured their World Cup ticket in the November 2022 window.

Greece

Greece are back for their fifth straight World Cup but Hellas have failed to reach the Quarter-Finals in the last three tournaments since finishing runners-up in 2006 in Japan. It will be the ninth overall appearance for Greece, ranked ninth in the world who also have two fourth placed showings in 1994 and 1998. Greece secured their spot in Asia next summer during the November 2022 window.

Iran

Iran have become a regular on the global stage as they will be playing in the World Cup for a fourth straight time. Having secured their spot in the 2023 showcase on the final game day, Iran will be hoping to advance from the First Round for the first time. Iran, who are ranked 20th in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), collected one win in both 2010 and 2014 and then grabbed two victories in 2019, when they finished 23rd. 

Italy

Italy secured back-to-back berths in the World Cup for the first time since 1986 and 1990. It will be the Italians’ 10th appearance on the global stage, where they took fourth place in 1970 and 1978. Italy qualified for the World Cup in the November 2022 window.

Jordan

Jordan take their spot on the world stage for the third time, including back-to-back editions. The Asians, who are ranked 34th in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update) locked up their berth to the 2023 World Cup on the penultimate game day. Jordan have finished 23rd and 28th in their previous two appearances.

Latvia

Latvia so far are the only nation who will be making their World Cup debut in 2023. The northern Europeans locked up their first ticket to the global spectacle during the November 2022. The history was made just months after Latvia, ranked 29th in the world, watched the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 from home - the first time they missed the continent event since 1999.

Lebanon

Lebanon will be celebrating their first appearance in the World Cup since 2010 - and fourth overall. The 2010 World Cup was the last of three straight for the Cedars, who are ranked 42nd in the world and finished 16th in 2002. Lebanon locked up their World Cup ticket in the November 2022 window.

Lithuania

Lithuania have become regulars at the World Cup, securing a fifth straight berth and sixth in the last seven editions. The northern Europeans finished third in 2010 and were fourth in 2014. Lithuania, who are ranked 8th in the world, solidified their sixth overall World Cup ticket in the November 2022 window.

Mexico

Mexico missed the 2019 World Cup but locked up a spot for the 2023 showpiece event on the final game day. The Mexicans, who are ranked 31st in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), will be playing in their sixth World Cup. They played in three straight World Cups from 1959 to 1967 and then again in 1974. Mexico waited 40 years to make it back in 2014 and grabbed two wins in the group stage before losing to United States in the Round of 16 to finish 14th.

Montenegro

Montenegro have made it two-for-two as the Balkan nation qualified for a second straight World Cup, picking up their ticket on the final game day. Montenegro, who are ranked 18th in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), lost all three games in the First Round in 2019 before knocking off Japan for their only win to take 25th place in the tournament.

New Zealand

New Zealand have reached the World Cup for the sixth straight time and seventh overall. The Tall Blacks, who are ranked 26th in the world, famously finished fourth in 2002 but have failed to reach the Quarter-Finals since then. New Zealand qualified for the 2023 World Cup in the November 2022 window despite losing twice.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico have become regulars on the global stage, qualifying now for their 15th World Cup and 10th straight. The Puerto Ricans, who are ranked 21st in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), locked up their ticket to 2023 on the final game day. Their best finish came in 1990 when they reached the Semi-Finals, losing to Soviet Union and then to United States 107-105 in overtime in the Third Place Game. Puerto Rico finished 15th in 2019.

Serbia

Serbia made sure they will have a say in who wins the 2023 World Cup trophy as they qualified for Asia on the penultimate game day. The world number six team (as of the 18 November 2022 update) will be appearing in their fifth World Cup in five editions under the Serbian flag. They finished second in 2014 after leaving Turkey 2010 empty-handed despite reaching the Semi-Finals. Serbia were knocked out in 2019 in the Quarter-Finals.

Slovenia

Slovenia will be playing at the World Cup for a fourth time. The FIBA EuroBasket 2017 champions made up for the disappointment of missing the 2019 World Cup by locking up their ticket to next summer during the November 2022 window. Slovenia, the seventh ranked team in the world, reached the World Cup Quarter-Finals in 2010 and 2014.

South Sudan

South Sudan are ready to take on the globe as one of FIBA’s youngest federations will make their World Cup debut. South Sudan have been one of the quickest rising nations in the basketball world and jumped all the way to number 63 (as of the 18 November 2022 update). They locked up their spot in Asia this summer in the final window of the African Qualifiers.

Spain


The reigning champions Spain will be back to defend their crown as they qualified for the World Cup for the 13th time and 11th in a row. Spain, who recently overtook the United States as the number one team in the world, have reached the Quarter-Finals in the last six editions but have secured “only” two medals - the title in 2006 and 2019. The western Europeans secured their spot in Asia next summer in the November 2022 window.

USA

United States have never missed out on the World Cup, reaching the 19th straight tournament. The Americans, who are ranked second in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), secured their spot in Asia on the penultimate game day. United States have won five titles, including 2010 and 2014. They bowed out at the Quarter-Finals in 2019.

Venezuela

Venezuela have booked back-to-back World Cup appearances for the second time - following 2002 and 2006 - and will be playing at FIBA’s flagship event for the fifth time. Venezuela, who are ranked 17th in the world (as of the 18 November 2022 update), secured their ticket to 2023 on the final game day. They grabbed two wins in the First Round in 2019 but lost both games in the Second Round and finished 14th.

FIBA