Spain’s national basketball team is poised to secure a spot at the Paris Olympic Games through a high-stakes pre-Olympic event held in Valencia. FIBA has designated Valencia as one of four venues hosting these last-chance tournaments to fill the final four berths for the Olympic competition. The tournament runs from July 2 to July 7, just ahead of the opening ceremony on July 26, positioning Valencia at the heart of an essential Olympic qualification series.
The FIBA Executive Committee expressed strong support for the Spanish Basketball Federation and the Valencian authorities for welcoming the event at the San Luis Fountain Pavilion and for preparing the city to showcase world-class basketball. Valencia Basket will serve as the local host club, and the program will unfold across a set of international venues selected to balance travel demands with competitive integrity. Other pre-Olympic sites for the campaign include Flea, Riga in Latvia, and San Juan in Puerto Rico. The federation leadership stressed their ambition to deliver elite basketball and to bring a peak level of competition to Valencia, underscoring the city’s readiness to support a global sporting showcase.
Across the globe, teams including France and seven additional squads — Japan, South Sudan, Australia, Germany, Serbia, Canada, and the United States — have been part of a dynamic ticketing process that has progressed with direct sales for key markets. The Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia were highlighted as early beneficiaries of this expansion, as the overall field grows to 24 teams vying for the remaining four Olympic berths, culminating in a 12-team Olympic lineup after the qualifiers conclude. The structure of these qualification efforts ensures a rigorous competitive path that rewards consistency and performance in high-pressure games under FIBA’s global framework.
Following the finalization of venue assignments, the event will draw a complete grouping through a ceremonial draw held at FIBA’s Geneva headquarters. The composition of the groups will determine matchups and scheduling in the lead-up to the Olympic tournament, shaping pathways for teams to advance.
Spain will be included in a pre-draw setup that places Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovenia together in Drum 1; Brazil, Italy, Greece, and Poland in Drum 2; Puerto Rico, Montenegro, Dominican Republic, and Finland in Drum 3; New Zealand, Georgia, Mexico, and Lebanon in Drum 4; Croatia, Ivory Coast, Angola, and the Philippines in Drum 5; and Egypt, Bahamas, Cameroon, and Bahrain in Drum 6. This drum-based arrangement is designed to balance geographic representation and competitive parity, ensuring that the final Olympic field reflects a broad spectrum of teams from around the world while maintaining a high standard of play through the qualification process.