FIBA Intercontinental Cup

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FIBA Intercontinental Cup

The FIBA Intercontinental Cup, previously known to as the FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs and the FIBA Club World Cup, is an annual international men's basketball competition organised by FIBA, the sport's global governing body. The competition features the club champions of the five FIBA continental confederations, as well as one representative from the NBA G League.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...
FIBA Intercontinental Cup
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Organising bodyFIBA
Founded1965; 60 years ago (1965)
First season1965
Confederation6 regions:
FIBA Americas (Central and South America)
FIBA Europe (Europe)
FIBA Africa (Africa)
FIBA Asia (Asia)
FIBA Oceania (Oceania)
NBA G League (North America)
Number of teams6
Current champions Unicaja (1st title)
Most championships Real Madrid
(5 titles)
Websiteintercontinentalcup.basketball
2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup
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Historically, its purpose has been to gather the premier basketball clubs from each of the world's geographical zones, and to officially decide the best basketball club of the world, which is officially crowned as the world club champion. The World Cup for Clubs has been contended mainly by the champions of the continents and/or world geographical regions that are of the highest basketball levels.

Instead of the National Basketball Association (NBA) champions, which is widely considered the most prestigious basketball league in the world, the North American spot is usually allocated to the champions of the NBA's developmental league, the G League. In place of the EuroLeague, which has long been considered Europe's most prestigious club competition, FIBA Europe sends the champions of their main club competition, the Basketball Champions League (BCL).

The champions of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), the Basketball Champions League Asia and National Basketball League (NBL) also receive a place in the tournament.[1][2][3]

History

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Perspective

The FIBA Intercontinental Cup competition was originally organized between the years 1966 and 1987. The tournament had its origins with a friendly test game in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1965. The test game was contested by the winners of the South American Championship of Champions Clubs, the Brazilian club S.C. Corinthians Paulista, and the FIBA European Champions Cup (now the EuroLeague) champions, the Spanish club Real Madrid. S.C. Corinthians Paulista won the test game, by a score of 118 to 109. After the success of the test tournament, the first official tournament took place in the year 1966.[4]

In 1973, the competition adopted the name FIBA Intercontinental Cup William Jones, to honour the secretary general of FIBA, William Jones. FIBA tried to rebirth the competition in 1996, by reorganizing the Intercontinental Cup into a best-of-three playoff tournament between the winners of the Euroleague and the winners of the FIBA South American League (the champions of South America). After that tournament, however, the competition was not held until the 2013 edition.

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Eduardo Cadillac of Obras Sanitarias the cup in 1983, after becoming the first team from South America to win the competition.

In August 2013, an agreement reached between Euroleague Basketball Company, FIBA Americas, and FIBA World, allowed for the World Cup for Champion Clubs to be relaunched, and to be played between the Euroleague champion and the FIBA Americas League champion.[5][6]

1965 test tournament

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Ginásio Poliesportivo Parque São Jorge, where the 1965 FIBA Intercontinental Cup Test was held.

The FIBA Intercontinental Cup unofficially began with the friendly competition of the 1965 FIBA Intercontinental Cup Test in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1965. The game was played by the defending champions of the South American Club Championship, S.C. Corinthians Paulista, and the defending champions of the FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague), Real Madrid. It was held at the Ginásio Poliesportivo Parque São Jorge. Corinthians won the game 118 to 109, with Wlamir Marques of S.C. Corinthians scoring 40 points in the game.[7] Due to the test tournament's great success (attendance for the game was 10,000),[8] the FIBA Intercontinental Cup was made an official annual tournament by FIBA. The first official FIBA Intercontinental Cup tournament was then held the following year.[9]

1972 special version

In 1972, FIBA held a 4 team tournament, featuring the Soviet Union national basketball team, the Polish national basketball team, the Brazilian national basketball team, and the NABL All-Stars Team, which participated in the place of Team USA. Although this tournament is not a part of the actual Club World Cup, it is still listed in the event's history as a special version of the tournament and counts as one of the editions, while the actual club competition was on hiatus between the years of 1970 and 1973.[10]

Four team format (2016–2023)

In 2016, the tournament again changed format, with the EuroLeague champions no longer being allowed to compete in the tournament due to the EuroLeague's dispute with FIBA. In place of the EuroLeague champions, FIBA Europe began to send the champions of their club competition, originally the FIBA Europe Cup and later the FIBA Champions League, instead.[11][12] For the 2019 tournament, FIBA increased the competition's number of teams to four, by adding the NBA G League's champions, and also a tournament host club. The tournament was also reconfigured into a final four format.[13]

FIBA has also considered plans to expand the tournament at some point in the future, with plans to add the champion teams from the FIBA AfroLeague, the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, the Australian NBL, and possibly the NBA.[14][15]

In the 2022 tournament, the league expanded to include the winner of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).[16] From the 2023 tournament, the winners of the FIBA Asia Champions Cup will also be included in the tournament.[17]

Expanded format (2023–present)

In March 2023, the tournament format received an overhaul. The event was changed from February to September so that it adapts more efficiently to the domestic and continental leagues' calendar and the schedule of international players, and to better accommodate participating clubs.[18]

FIBA also signed a three-year deal partnership with Sport Singapore to hold the competition in the Singapore Sports Hub for three years in a row (until 2025). This makes it the first time in the Intercontinental Cup's history that the event will be held in Asia. Additionally, the tournament was expanded to six teams as an Asian representative was added. For the 2023 edition a team from the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) was chosen by FIBA to participate.[18]

The 2024 season will feature a team from Oceania for the first time, as the winners of Australia and New Zealand's National Basketball League (NBL) earn direct qualification.[3] The Tasmania JackJumpers are the first representative in tournament history.[3]

Names of the competition

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Part of the official logo with the current competition name.
  • FIBA Intercontinental Cup (or FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs): (1966–1980)
  • FIBA Club World Cup: (1981)
  • FIBA Intercontinental Cup (or FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs): (1982–1984)
  • FIBA Club World Cup: (1985–1987)
  • FIBA Intercontinental Cup (or FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs): (2013–present)
    • Since 1973, the tournament has also been named in Honor of Renato William Jones, so the tournament's full official names would be either FIBA Intercontinental Cup "William Jones", or FIBA Club World Cup "William Jones".
    • The tournament is also referred to as the FIBA Intercontinental Cup of Clubs, in order to avoid confusion with the 1972 FIBA Intercontinental Cup of National Teams.

Format

From the 2013 edition of the tournament through to the 2015 edition, the competition was played in either an aggregate score two-legged series, or in a single-game final format between two teams, that determined the official club world champions. Those two teams were the champions of Europe's most prestigious competition, the EuroLeague, and the champions of Latin America's premier competition, the FIBA Americas League.

For the 2016 edition and 2017 edition, the champions of the FIBA Americas League played against the champions of FIBA Europe's main club competition (now second-tier), FIBA Europe Cup (2016) and FIBA Europe's new top competition, the Basketball Champions League (2017), as EuroLeague clubs were no longer allowed to participate by FIBA due to its dispute with Euroleague Basketball.[19][20]

For the 2019 edition of the tournament, FIBA expanded the competition to include the NBA G League's champions and a tournament host club. Thus, the tournament format was also changed to a final four format involving four teams.[21]

Results

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Perspective

Real Madrid from Spain holds the record for most victories, with a total of five titles.

More information Edition, Year ...
Edition Year Hosts Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place Result(s) / Note(s) Number of teams
1965[a]
Details
Brazil
São Paulo
Brazil
Corinthians
Spain
Real Madrid
N/AN/A118–109
Unofficial test tournament
2
1 1966
Details
Spain
Madrid
Italy
Ignis Varese
Brazil
Corinthians
Spain
Real Madrid
United States
Chicago Jamaco Saints
Final: 66–59
3rd place game: 112–96
4
2 1967
Details
Italy
Italy (3 cities)
United States
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
Italy
Ignis Varese
Italy
Simmenthal Milano
Brazil
Corinthians
Final: 78–72
3rd place game: 90–89
5
3 1968
Details
United States
Philadelphia
United States
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
Spain
Real Madrid
Italy
Simmenthal Milano
Brazil
Botafogo
Final: 105–73
3rd place game: 82–54
4
4 1969
Details
United States
Macon
United States
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
Czechoslovakia
Spartak ZJŠ Brno
Brazil
Sírio
Spain
Real Madrid
Final: 84–71
3rd place game: 72–60
5
5 1970
Details
Italy
Varese
Italy
Ignis Varese
Spain
Real Madrid
Brazil
Corinthians
Czechoslovakia
Slavia VŠ Praha
Five team league stage 5
6 1972[b]
Details
Brazil
São Paulo
United States
NABL All-Stars
Soviet Union
Soviet Union
Brazil
Brazil
Poland
Poland
Four team league stage 4
7 1973
Details
Brazil
São Paulo
Italy
Ignis Varese
Brazil
Sírio
Puerto Rico
Vaqueros de Bayamón
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Jugoplastika
Five team league stage 5
8 1974
Details
Mexico
Mexico City
United States
Maryland Terrapins
Italy
Ignis Varese
Brazil
Vila Nova
Spain
Real Madrid
Six team league stage 6
9 1975
Details
Italy
Italy (2 cities)
Italy
Birra Forst Cantù
Brazil
Amazonas Franca
Spain
Real Madrid
United States
Penn Quakers
Six team league stage 6
10 1976
Details
Argentina
Buenos Aires
Spain
Real Madrid
Italy
Mobilgirgi Varese
Argentina
Obras Sanitarias
Brazil
Amazonas Franca
Six team league stage 6
11 1977
Details
Spain
Madrid
Spain
Real Madrid
Italy
Mobilgirgi Varese
Israel
Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv
Brazil
Atlética Francana
Six team league stage 6
12 1978
Details
Argentina
Buenos Aires
Spain
Real Madrid
Argentina
Obras Sanitarias
Brazil
Sírio
Italy
Mobilgirgi Varese
Five team league stage 5
13 1979
Details
Brazil
São Paulo
Brazil
Sírio
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Bosna
Italy
Emerson Varese
Puerto Rico
Piratas de Quebradillas
Five team league stage 5
14 1980
Details
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Sarajevo
Israel
Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv
Brazil
Atlética Francana
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Bosna
Spain
Real Madrid
Five team league stage 5
15 1981
Details
Brazil
São Paulo
Spain
Real Madrid
Brazil
Sírio
United States
Clemson Tigers
Brazil
Atlética Francana
Final: 109–83
3rd place game: 79–73
10
16 1982
Details
Netherlands
Netherlands (3 cities)
Italy
Ford Cantù
Netherlands
Nashua EBBC
Israel
Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv
United States
Air Force Falcons
Six team league stage 6
17 1983
Details
Argentina
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Obras Sanitarias
Italy
Jollycolombani Cantù
Uruguay
Peñarol
Brazil
Monte Líbano
Six team league stage 6
18 1984
Details
Brazil
São Paulo
Italy
Banco di Roma
Argentina
Obras Sanitarias
Brazil
Sírio
Spain
FC Barcelona
Five team league stage 5
19 1985
Details
Spain
Spain (2 cities)
Spain
FC Barcelona
Brazil
Monte Líbano
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Cibona
Argentina
San Andrés
Final: 93–89
3rd place game: 109–82
10
20 1986
Details
Argentina
Argentina (2 cities)
Soviet Union
Žalgiris
Argentina
Ferro Carril Oeste
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Cibona
Brazil
Corinthians
Final: 84–78
3rd place game: 119–96
8
21 1987
Details
Italy
Milan
Italy
Tracer Milano
Spain
FC Barcelona
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Cibona
Israel
Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv
Final: 100–84
3rd place game: 106–96
8
1988–1995 Competition inactive
22 1996
Details[22]
Away, home and homeGreece
Panathinaikos
Argentina
Olimpia
N/AN/A2–1
83–89 (away) / 83–78 (home) / 101–76 (home)
2
1997–2012 Competition inactive
23 2013
Details
Home and awayGreece
Olympiacos
Brazil
Pinheiros Sky
N/AN/A167–139
81–70 / 86–69
2
24 2014
Details
Home and awayBrazil
Flamengo
Israel
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv
N/AN/A156–146
66–69 / 90–77
2
25 2015
Details
Home and awaySpain
Real Madrid
Brazil
Bauru
N/AN/A181–170
90–91 / 91–79
2
26 2016
Details
Germany
Frankfurt
Venezuela
Guaros de Lara
Germany
Fraport Skyliners
N/AN/A74–69 2
27 2017
Details
Spain
Tenerife
Spain
Iberostar Tenerife
Venezuela
Guaros de Lara
N/AN/A76–71 2
28 2019
Details
Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
Greece
AEK
Brazil
Flamengo
Argentina
San Lorenzo
United States
Austin Spurs
Final: 86–70
3rd place game: 77–59
4
29 2020
Details
Spain
Tenerife
Spain
Iberostar Tenerife
Italy
Virtus Segafredo Bologna
Argentina
San Lorenzo
United States
Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Final: 80–72
3rd place game: 96–90
4
30 2021
Details
Argentina
Buenos Aires
Spain
San Pablo Burgos
Argentina
Quimsa
N/AN/AFinal: 82–73 2
31 2022
Details
Egypt
Cairo
Brazil
Flamengo
Spain
San Pablo Burgos
United States
Lakeland Magic
Egypt
Zamalek
Final: 75–62
3rd place game: 113–78
4
32 2023 (I)
Details
Spain
Tenerife
Spain
Lenovo Tenerife
Brazil
São Paulo
United States
Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Tunisia
US Monastir
Final: 89–67
3rd place game: 107–84
4
33 2023 (II)
Details
Singapore
Singapore
Brazil
Sesi Franca
Germany
Telekom Baskets Bonn
China
Zhejiang Golden Bulls
Egypt
Al Ahly
Final: 70–69
3rd place game: 81–74
6
34 2024
Details
Singapore
Singapore
Spain
Unicaja
United States
NBA G League United
Australia
Tasmania JackJumpers
Lebanon
Al Riyadi
Final: 75–60
3rd place game: 80–75
6
35 2025 Singapore
Singapore
Future event 6
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Statistics

Performance by club

More information Club, Titles ...
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Performance by country

More information Rank, Country ...
Rank Country League(s) Title(s) Runner(s)-up
1  SpainPrimera División / ACB 11 4
2  ItalyLBA 7 6
3  BrazilCBB / NBB 4 10
4  United StatesNABL3 4
NCAA Division I1
NBA G League 1
5  GreeceGBL 3
6  ArgentinaCAC / LNB 1 5
7  IsraelBSL 1 1
 VenezuelaLPB 1 1
9  Soviet UnionPremier League 1
10  GermanyBBL 2
11  CzechoslovakiaCSBL 1
 NetherlandsDBL 1
 YugoslaviaFFL 1
Total3333
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Winners by confederation

More information Rank, Confederation ...
Rank Confederation Winners Runners-up
1 FIBA Europe 23 16
2 FIBA Americas 6 16
3 NABL 3 0
4 NBA G League 0 1
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Medals by country

More information Rank, Nation ...
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Spain114217
2 Italy76316
3 Brazil410519
4 United States4138
5 Greece3003
6 Argentina1539
7 Israel1124
8 Venezuela1102
9 Soviet Union1001
10 Germany0202
11 Yugoslavia0145
12 Czechoslovakia0101
 Netherlands0101
14 Australia0011
 China0011
 Puerto Rico0011
 Uruguay0011
Totals (17 entries)33332692
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Individual performances

Summarize
Perspective

Top scorers

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Bob Morse was the FIBA Intercontinental Cup Top Scorer in 1973 and 1976.
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Dražen Petrović was the FIBA Intercontinental Cup Top Scorer in 1985, 1986 and 1987 with Cibona Zagreb.
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Dar Tucker was the FIBA Intercontinental Cup Top Scorer in 2019 and 2020.

Wlamir Marques holds the record for most points scored in a single game, when he scored 51 points in the 1965 test tournament. Dražen Petrović was top scorer of the tournament three times, a record. The players' nationalities in the following table are shown by national team.[23][24]

More information Year, Name(s) ...
YearName(s)Club(s)PointsRef.
1965[a]Brazil Wlamir MarquesBrazil Corinthians 51
1966Spain Clifford LuykSpain Real Madrid 38
1967United States Steve ChubinItaly Simmental Milano 79
1968United States Miles AikenSpain Real Madrid 53
1969Czechoslovakia Jan BobrovskýCzechoslovakia Spartak ZJŠ Brno
1970Czechoslovakia Jiří Zídek Sr.Czechoslovakia Slavia VŠ Praha 125
1972[b]Brazil RobertãoBrazil Brazil
1973United States Bob MorseItaly Ignis Varese 103
1974United States Walt SzczerbiakSpain Real Madrid
1975Spain Wayne BrabenderSpain Real Madrid
1976United States Bob MorseItaly Ignis Varese 90
1977Spain Wayne Brabender
United States Bruce Campbell
Spain Real Madrid
United States Providence Friars
141
1978United States Walt SzczerbiakSpain Real Madrid 114
1979Brazil Oscar SchmidtBrazil Sírio 138
1980Israel Miki BerkovichIsrael Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv 94
1981Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mirza DelibašićSpain Real Madrid 176
1982United States David LawrenceNetherlands Nashua EBBC 92
1983Italy Antonello RivaItaly Jollycolombani Cantù 158
1984Spain San EpifanioSpain FC Barcelona 101
1985Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dražen PetrovićSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Cibona Zagreb 141
1986Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dražen PetrovićSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Cibona Zagreb 120
1987Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dražen PetrovićSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Cibona Zagreb 175
1996Argentina Jorge RaccaArgentina Olimpia 74
2013United States Shamell StallworthBrazil Pinheiros Sky 53
2014United States Jeremy PargoIsrael Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv 49
2015Brazil Rafael HettsheimeirBrazil Bauru 44
2016United States Zach GrahamVenezuela Guaros de Lara 19
2017United States Mario LittleVenezuela Guaros de Lara 23
2019 Jordan Dar Tucker Argentina San Lorenzo 37
2020 Jordan Dar Tucker Argentina San Lorenzo 38
2021 United States Brandon Robinson Argentina Quimsa 25 [87]
2022 Mexico Luke Martínez Brazil Flamengo 44 [88]
2023 (I) United States Jarrett Culver United States Rio Grande Valley Vipers 45
2023 (II) Brazil Lucas Dias Brazil Sesi Franca 54 [89]
2024 Bosnia and Herzegovina Elmedin Kikanović Lebanon Al Riyadi 50
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MVP award

After each tournament, FIBA awards the Most valuable player award to the player that is deemed the most important to his team during the Intercontinental Cup. The first MVP award was given to Walt Szczerbiak Sr. of Real Madrid after he guided them to the 1977 title. The last winner is Dylan Osetkowski of Unicaja in 2024.

Broadcasters

All four games are streamed through FIBA's YouTube channel for free in the USA and the unsold markets with highlights available in all territories.[90] The tournament is also streamed for free through FIBA-DAZN's subscription streaming service Courtside 1891.

See also

Notes

  1. The 1965 edition of the tournament was a test edition.
  2. The 1972 edition of the tournament was contested by national teams rather than professional clubs.

References

Sources

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