2023 FIBA World Cup hosts to be known today

The logo of the Philippines-Japan-Indonesia bid
for the 2023 FIBA World Cup

The fate of the 2023 FIBA World Cup will be determined tonight, with the two remaining bids making their final presentations to the FIBA Central Board in Geneva, Switzerland.

The tripartite bid of the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia will present first, followed by a question-and-answer portion estimated to last around ten minutes. SBP Chairman Emeritus Manuel V. Pangilinan will then make the final remarks. The dual bid involving Argentina and Uruguay would go through the same route.

The Central Board will then confer to make their decision, which will be revealed at 8pm tonight. The winner will be the first World Championship to take place in multiple countries.

According to Executive Director Sonny Barrios, the Philippines-Japan-Indonesia bid centers on three principles: simplicity, diversity, and intensity. He says, "The bid from the consortium offers FIBA an exciting opportunity to bring the sport’s pinnacle event to the fastest growing region in the world where our combined population of over 500 million is ready to embrace the sport of basketball, where we will work with FIBA to realize the sport’s vision to make basketball the most popular sports community-----to have more people playing in more places, more often."

Simplicity: We have created simplicity in tournament design to make sure the athletes and our sport are the focus. Just five venues across three cities and competition venues located close to accommodation, media, medical and other key services, will ensure those attending the event can navigate Manila, Okinawa and Jakarta easily and efficiently.

Diversity: A warm welcome is assured with our countries known for our hospitality, respect for cultural and religious differences, as well as experience as popular tourist destinations.

Intensity: A FIBA Basketball World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia will be hugely popular - sell-out stadiums, an electric atmosphere, and an explosion in the social media conversation. Philippine Arena, proposed to host the Finals, has a 55,000 seat capacity and will deliver a spectacle finale for basketball's greatest contest.

MVP has said that the Philippines is not likely to attempt a third try in securing a FIBA World Cup bid, after losing out to China for the hosting rights to the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Securing the 2023 edition, he believes, is "the single priceless legacy I could leave Philippine basketball."