‍TORONTO, Ont. (May 24, 2022) – Canada Basketball and the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), in partnership with Tourism Hamilton, announced Tuesday that Hamilton will host Canada’s upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifier game.

Canada will face the Dominican Republic on Canada Day, July 1, 2022 (7:00 PM ET), at the FirstOntario Centre Centre in downtown Hamilton and live on Sportsnet.

Tickets will go on sale to the public this Friday, May 27th at 10:00 AM ET via Ticketmaster.

After being unavailable for the first two windows, players from the NBA will be eligible to play in this summer's games.  Canada Basketball also announced Tuesday the summer core pool of players who have committed to representing Canada in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Bringing more international basketball events to Canada is one of several shared priorities Canada Basketball and the CEBL also unveiled Tuesday as the two organizations look to continue working closely together to grow the game of basketball here in Canada. 

Canada is in Group C for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers and will face the Dominican Republic, US Virgin Islands and Bahamas.  Canada remains undefeated with a 4-0 record through the first two windows of the competition.

Eighty national teams will play games across six qualifying windows to secure their place among the 30 teams who will join hosts Japan and the Philippines in the 32-team edition of FIBA's flagship event. 

In the Americas region, 16 teams will face off over two rounds with the three best teams from each group, and the fourth-placed team qualifying for the FIBA Basketball 2023 World Cup.  For additional information on the format of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers, click here.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, set to take place from August 25 to September 10, 2023, will see the Group Phase take place in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The Final Phase will follow in the Philippines capital city of Manila.

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this will be the first FIBA event Canada will host since February 2020 when the FIBA AmeriCup 2022 Qualifiers took place in Oshawa, Ont.  The previous two windows of the competition were held in a bubble format in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Canada is currently ranked 18th in the FIBA World Ranking presented by Nike.

QUOTES

“Canadians have demonstrated a desire for more basketball to be played on home soil and Canada Basketball has made this a primary objective of our organization.  By hosting more qualifying games and tournaments in Canada, we not only give fans a chance to cheer on our national teams, but it also provides an opportunity for our athletes to play in front of friends, family and our passionate Canadian basketball fans.  Playing more in Canada, and ultimately winning in Canada, will ensure that our basketball nation continues to thrive.” - Michael Bartlett, President & CEO, Canada Basketball

“Canada is a hotbed for basketball and I would argue that it is fast becoming the nation’s sport. It is exciting for the CEBL, Canada’s professional Men’s Basketball league to partner with Canada Basketball in hosting this FIBA World Cup Qualifier in Hamilton. What better way to celebrate Canada Day than to celebrate a sport that the country loves. Together with Canada Basketball as a partner we are committed to host more world-class basketball experiences throughout the calendar year ” - Mike Morreale, CEO, Canadian Elite Basketball League

“Hamilton is thrilled to host Canada’s upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifier game at FirstOntario Centre. Hosting the first FIBA event in Canada since 2020 is a tremendous opportunity for our community and basketball fans from all over the region to witness high-level international basketball. We are excited to partner with Canada Basketball and the Canadian Elite Basketball League to create a memorable experience for all competitors, sponsors, officials and fans.” - Fred Eisenberger – Mayor, City of Hamilton