Japan to Host 2030 Women's Basketball World Cup, France 2031 Men's

The International Basketball Federation announced on Wednesday that Japan will host the Women's Basketball World Cup in 2030, while France takes on the men's edition in 2031, marking significant milestones for both nations in the sport.

The women's tournament will take place entirely in Tokyo from November 26 to December 8, 2030. This will be the first time Japan hosts the women's event, though the country previously staged the men's World Cup in 2006. For the men's competition, France will welcome teams to three cities: Lille, Lyon, and Paris, from August 29 to September 14, 2031, with the final phase set for the capital. It represents France's debut as host of a basketball World Cup.

The decisions build on both countries' recent successes in international basketball. Japan earned a silver medal in women's basketball at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the event delayed a year by the COVID-19 pandemic. France's men's team also secured silver on home soil during the 2024 Paris Summer Games, where basketball drew exceptional crowds, accounting for 10 percent of total Olympic ticket sales and attracting 1.1 million spectators.

FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis highlighted the...