Nigeria is among the fifteen national teams from across the FIBA zones looking to claim one of the four wildcards berth at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain slated for August 30 through September 14.
The 15 candidates, who participated in their respective 2013 continental championship which also serves as qualifiers for the FIBA flagship event, have successfully beat the 30 October deadline for the submission of application and now waits until the weekend of 1-2 February 2014, when the world basketball governing body reveals the recipients of the four wildcards slot at a Central Board meeting in Barcelona.
The draw for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup takes place on the 3 February 2014- the day after the confirmation of the wildcards, who will complete the 24-team field for the 2014 World Cup.
The countries include Nigeria (Africa); Brazil, Canada and Venezuela (Americas); China and Qatar (Asia) and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Poland, Russia and Turkey (Europe).
FIBA’s Central Board could decide to shorten the list of candidates bidding for the World Cup berth at its next meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the weekend of 23-24 November 2013; however, no more than three national teams from a Fiba Zone can receive the wildcards.
The decision on which national teams will receive these wild cards will be made taking into consideration the following criteria: Sporting and Promotional Aspects. The popularity of basketball in the country, the quality and sporting results of the national teams of the country, the hosting or bidding for hosting of past FIBA events, the impact of a participation at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in the country in view of the country’s basketball development, the commitment of the best players from the country to participate at the FIBA Basketball World Cup Economic Aspects, the involvement of local television and corporate sector in the domestic and international basketball competitions, the importance of the countrys market to FIBAs commercial partners, the importance of the country to the Organisers of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Governance Aspects, Compliance with the Internal Regulations and General Statutes of FIBA, the quality of the work of the National Federation, Governmental support to the National Federation and Participation in FIBA and/or FIBA Zone activities, commissions.
The list of 20 national teams that have already booked their place for Spain 2014 includes:
Host Country: Spain, Olympic Champion: USA, teams from Africa: Angola, Egypt and Senegal, teams from Americas: Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Dominican Republic, teams from Asia: Iran, Philippines and Korea, teams from Europe: France, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Serbia and teams from Oceania: Australia and New Zealand.
