It’s official: France has been designated as the host country for the men’s basketball World Cup in 2031, a first in its history, the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) announced Wednesday. The competition will take place in Lille, Lyon, and Paris from August 29 to September 14, 2031, with the final phase in the capital, Fiba added.
Generation Wembanyama
While the French basketball team has never won the World Cup, they can dream of a victory at home, led by the outstanding center Victor Wembanyama. The NBA’s best defender, who suffered a concussion last night, will be 27 in 2031 and will have a highly talented generation with players like Zaccharie Risacher, Alexandre Sarr, Nolan Traoré, Bilal Coulibaly, and Maxime Raynaud, all currently under 23 and already playing in the NBA.
The current double Olympic runners-up will face tough competition, even though top American players sometimes skip the World Cup. Germany is the defending champion, and the next World Cup will be held in Qatar in 2027.
/2026/04/22/69e8af3b9515b978445334.jpg "France will host the Basketball World Cup for the first time in 2031.")
/2026/04/22/69e84e6cbef78184301608.jpg "French NBA player Victor Wembanyama victim of a heavy fall against Portland")
