The FIBA Central Board ratified today the decision of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Board regarding a change of venue for the Final Phase and the Opening Round games in Manila. The Final Phase will be played in Mall of Asia Arena and the two games of the Opening Round for the group of the Philippines will be played in the Philippines Arena.
The main concern leading to the decision was the requirement to provide consistent and swift transfer of the teams and fans to multiple games over the six days of the Final Phase. Despite completing the construction of a toll road connecting Metro Manila with the Philippines Arena in 2021, it could only be tested in real conditions since November 2022, after COVID restrictions were lifted.
Since then, several events took place in that venue, including the last Window of the World Cup Qualifiers, identifying serious traffic and transport concerns.
Despite improvements tested with transport and traffic engineers, the Board came to the conclusion that an event with multiple sessions in one day, like the Final Phase of the World Cup, couldn’t be delivered to the standards required for the players and fans experience.
In order to keep a key component of the bid, which was to establish a record of attendance at the World Cup, the Board decided to play the two games of the Opening Round for the group of the Philippines in the Philippines Arena.
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