FIBA | MANILA CONCERT SCENE

Catch the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 fever wherever you are! It could be right where 16 of the world’s 32 best basketball teams will engage in battle — at the massive Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City, or the state-of-the-art SM Mall of Asia Arena in the Bay Area in Pasay City.0

Or, it could be somewhere else. If you want to have the best of both worlds — world class basketball and world caliber entertainment — then theFIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Fan Zone (FIBAWC Fan Zone) is the place to be starting Opening Day.

Truly, thank goodness it’s Friday! Entertainment galore, mixed with star celebrity sightings and exciting raffle prizes, awaits visitors when the FIBAWC Fan Zone opens on August 25 at the fully-airconditioned Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City.

And the best thing about this super special event is that ADMISSION IS FREE! So, bring the whole family, invite all your friends, and drive right to the very heart of Metro Manila’s foremost fun destination.

Located at the ground floor of the Entertainment Mall of the SM Mall of Asia on Seaside Blvd., adjacent to the iconic giant Ferris wheel, the MOA Music Hall will welcome visitors to the FIBAWC Fan Zone from August 25 to September 10 from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The fun-filled activity dates coincide with the frenzied action raging on the same days at the nearby Mall of Asia Arena, where the Group and Final Phases of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will be held. Fans are ready to be regaled by interactive booths from global partners and local sponsors, basketball arcade machines, shooting activities and challenges, and more.

Surprise celebrities have also been invited to mingle with fans for Meet and Greet sessions and photo opportunities. Other than the exciting prizes that will be raffled off, fans can also purchase FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 merchandise as well as tickets to games.

Yes, tickets! The hottest commodity around today! Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, a watch party will be assembled for those who want to follow the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 games held in Okinawa and Jakarta!

Imagine that! Since these fixtures will not be available to regular pay-per-view customers here, except in limited institutions, from the FIBAWC Fan Zone, you can watch Luka Doncic and Slovenia and defending champion Spain battle with global competition in Japan and Indonesia for the right to fly to the Philippines for the Final Phase of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 at the MOA Arena.

How about that for the ultimate treat? So, everybody, get ready, because the heat is on. And it couldn’t get any hotter than at the FIBAWC Fan Zone! See you there!

The road to the prestigious FIBA World Cup Tournament started last weekend when the draw event held at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum in April 29, 2023. The event was attended by FIBA president Hamane Niang and other prominent figures in sports and entertainment such as Manny Pacquiao, Dirk Nowitzki, FIBA Global Ambassador Luis Scola, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Yao Ming among others.

The draw was led by FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Global Ambassador Luis Scola (Argentina) and 2011 NBA champion Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), along with Local Ambassadors from the three host nations: 2014 Philippine World Cup team member LA Tenorio and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray (Philippines), former national team member and current president of Levanga Hokkaido Takehiko Orimo (Japan), and actor Raffi Ahmad (Indonesia).

Here’s the results from FIBA World Cup Draw event:

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D	Group E	Group F	Group G	Group H
Angola	South Sudan	USA	Egypt	Germany	Slovenia	Iran	Canada
Dominican Republic	Serbia	Jordan	Mexico	Finland	Cape Verde	Spain	Latvia
Philippines	China	Greece	Montenegro	Australia	Georgia	Côte d’Ivoire	Lebanon
Italy	Puerto Rico	New Zealand	Lithuania	Japan	Venezuela	Brazil	France

Reminders
-Groups A & B will play in Araneta Coliseum
-Groups C & D will play in SM Mall of Asia Arena
-Groups E & F will play in Japan
-Groups G & H will play in Indonesia

Pop icons Sarah Geronimo and Billy Crawford also performed at the draw event while Fil-Am hip-hop sensation Saweetie made her Manila concert debut during the event.

FIBA World Cup 2023 Tournament starts August 25, 2023. It has been announced that the first 2 games of Gilas Pilipinas team will be held at the Philippine Arena on August while the final rounds of FIBA World Cup will now take place at the Mall of Asia Arena from Sept. 5 to Sept. 10, 2023.