A THREE-MAN evaluation team from the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) is planing in today to inspect the prospective venues and determine the Philippines’ capability to host the 2019 World Cup.
And on Thursday, Patrick Baumann, the powerful Fiba secretary general, will fly in to join the team.
The Philippines played host to the global tournament in 1978.
Sports director Lubo Kotieba, media and marketing director general Frank Leenders and events director Predrag Bogosaviliev are to inspect the playing venues and hotels for players and officials.
Spain hosted the event last year with the cities of Seville, Barcelona, Madrid and Granada staging the games.
Among the arenas to be inspected are the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao and the soon-to-rise SM Sports Center in Cebu.
Also bidding to host the event are China, Turkey, Qatar and a combined Germany-France group. Musong R. Castillo