FIBA World Championships 2006

TOKYO (FIBA World Championship 2006) - Today's draw in Tokyo has set the stage for the FIBA World Championship 2006 in Japan.

The make-up of the 4 groups determined the match schedule for the first 5 game days of the most competitive basketball event in the world.

Group A Sendai	Group B Hiroshima	Group C Hamamatsu	Group D Sapporo
Argentina Venezuela France Serbia & Montenegro Lebanon Nigeria	Spain Panama Germany Japan New Zealand Angola	Lithuania Brazil Greece Turkey Australia Qatar	USA Puerto Rico Slovenia Italy P.R. of China Senegal

In presence of team delegations from five continents and many dignitaries, the draw has been conducted in the Prince Takanawa Hotel in Tokyo. Basketball legends such as Dino Meneghin from Italy, and Jean Jacques Conceicao, one of the best ever African players from Angola, were drawing the lots.

"The draw was extremely well organized and we had a perfect show," said FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann. "We did not expect anything less from the Japanese Organising Committee and we are sure that the championship will be organized with the same precision and care for the detail."

On 19th August 2006, the opening day of the FIBA World Championship, Olympic champion Argentina will play against France in Group A. Host Japan will meet European vice-champion Germany in Group B whilst in Group C Lithuania will play against Turkey.

In Group D the USA will try to take revenge for their 92-73 Olympic opening game loss against Puerto Rico. For a full game schedule for the first 5 game days, please go to www.fiba.com .

The draw brought no big surprises and FIBA's goal to have geographically balanced groups was fully reached. A look at the groups demonstrates again, that the 2006 edition of the FIBA World Championship will be the most competitive ever.

In Group A the Olympic champion Argentina will meet the defending World Champion Serbia & Montenegro and European bronze medal winner France whilst in Group B superstars Pau Gasol from Spain and Dirk Nowitzki from Germany will try to enter the Eight Finals in top positions.

In Group C European champion Greece will face fierce competition from Lithuania, Brazil, Turkey and Australia. A lot of experts view Group D as the most competitive with basketball super power USA and Olympic silver medallist Italy.

Traditional powerhouse Puerto Rico and emerging countries China and Senegal will all give their best to reach the Eighth Finals. If you want to learn more about the 24 teams, please go to www.fiba.com .

The teams will play against each other in the preliminary phase in four groups of 6 teams. The 4 top teams from each group will then qualify directly for the Eighth-Finals, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals.

All the games from the Eighth-Finals to the Finals will be played on a one-game elimination basis.

If you want to see who could be possible opponents in the Final Round please go to www.fiba.com (Competition format).