Fiba sets tough Indonesian target for direct World cup entry

Mies, Switzerland—The Fiba executive committee has set a tough target for cohost Indonesia to be granted automatic qualification to the 2023 Basketball World Cup, tasking the Indonesian men’s national team to finish in the top eight of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup.

The two other cohost nations of the World Cup, Japan and the Philippines, which both played in the 2019 version in China, have received direct qualifications.

Indonesia, which has yet to win its regional championship—the Southeast Asian Games that has always been dominated by the Philippines—will get a chance to make history through the upcoming Asia Cup.The Fiba Asia Cup is Asia and Oceania’s premier men’s national team competition taking place every four years. For the first time ever, national teams need to qualify for the competition through a number of home and away qualifiers, which began in February this year. The FIBA Asia Cup will take place from Aug. 17 to 29, with a total of 16 teams.

If Indonesia achieves the target of making the top eight of the Fiba Asia Cup, the number of qualification spots for the World Cup Asian Qualifiers will be reduced by one. If Indonesia does not achieve the target, the general rules for qualification to the World Cup applicable to other Asia and Oceania National Federations shall apply.

For the first time in the competition’s history, the World Cup will be staged in more than one host country. The group phase will take place in those three countries, with the finals to be played in Manila.