MOA Arena to host FIBA World Cup Final Phase

FIBA released a statement on Friday, swapping the Final Phase of matches originally scheduled for the Philippine Arena in Bulacan to the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Statement is as follows:

The final stage of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will now be played at the Mall of Asia Arena. This was announced earlier today by FIBA, moving the games of the Final Phase that were earlier scheduled for the Philippine Arena.

“The priority that led to this decision is the experience of our fans. This is in service of the Filipino basketball fan, as well as those arriving from all over the world,” said SBP President Al Panlilio.

“We thank our brothers and sisters from the Iglesia ni Cristo and the Philippine Arena Management, specifically, for being a true partner in this endeavor and we appreciate their support of the final decision that was reached.”

The Group Phase will still be played at the Mall of Asia Arena, Araneta Coliseum, Okinawa Arena, and Indonesia Arena, but the Final Phase will be exclusively played in the Pasay venue.

The Philippine Arena, however, will be the venue as Gilas Pilipinas plays its first FIBA Basketball World Cup game at home in 45 years. On August 25, the Philippine team will open its campaign in the World Cup and a game of this magnitude could only be held inside the world’s largest indoor arena.

“The main consideration leading to the decision was the requirement to provide consistent and swift transfer for the teams and fans to multiples games over the six days of the Final Phase. Despite improvements tested with transport and traffic engineers, the Board came to the conclusion that an event with multiple sessions in one day like the Final Phase of the World Cup must be delivered to the standards required for the players and fans experience.” said David Crocker, Executive Director for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

As an assurance to those who have already secured their tickets, appropriate emails will be sent individually informing them of the venue change and further continued advice as to their tickets and seats.

The final details as to which affected matches of Gilas Pilipinas will be revealed with the result of the World Cup draw on Saturday night.