FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027
The first FIBA World Cup in the Arab world — 32 nations, 92 games, all in Doha, August 27–September 12, 2027
Qatar hosts the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup entirely within Doha — the first time this tournament has come to the Arab world — with 32 national teams playing 92 games across four arenas between August 27 and September 12, 2027. It's the largest edition of the event ever staged in a single city, and it reuses infrastructure built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup alongside two purpose-built handball arenas from 2015.
Quick facts
The four venues
Lusail Arena, holding over 15,000 spectators, is the tournament's centerpiece — it hosts the semifinals and the final, and is the event's marquee venue by design. Al Attiyah Arena and Duhail Arena, both originally built for the 2015 Handball World Championship, handle group-stage games, alongside Al Janoub Stadium — notably, the first stadium originally built for the 2022 football World Cup to be converted into a basketball venue for this tournament.
Qatar as host — automatic qualifier
As host nation, Qatar qualifies automatically for the 32-team field; the remaining 31 spots are being decided through a qualification process running from November 2025 through March 2027, across all FIBA regions. As of mid-2026 the full field wasn't yet finalized — check FIBA's official site closer to the tournament for the confirmed 32 teams and the group draw.
Getting around Doha for the tournament
All four venues sit within Doha's metro network, making this a genuinely walkable-and-metro tournament without needing a car or long inter-city transfers — a real practical advantage over multi-city World Cups. August–September in Qatar is still hot (regularly 35–40°C), so most of the actual game-day experience happens in air-conditioned arenas and metro stations, similar to how the 2022 football World Cup handled the same climate challenge with cooling technology in its stadiums.
Practical tips
- —Book Doha accommodation early for dates around the semifinals/final (early-to-mid September) — demand concentrates hardest around Lusail Arena's biggest games, the same pattern as every single-city tournament finale.
- —Qatar's metro (Doha Metro) connects most of the tournament venues directly — factor it into travel plans rather than assuming you'll need taxis or rental cars.
- —August–September heat is serious — plan outdoor sightseeing (Souq Waqif, the Corniche) for early morning or evening, and expect most daytime hours to be spent indoors regardless of tournament attendance.
- —Qatar's alcohol laws are more restrictive than many first-time Gulf visitors expect — available in licensed hotel bars/restaurants, not general retail; worth knowing before arrival rather than being surprised.