2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup 28 august 2014
Euroleague.net
A field of 24 national teams loaded with Euroleague and Eurocup talent will begin the quest to claim the title of best on the planet when the 2014 World Cup tips off on Saturday, August 30.
The tournament will be played in six Spanish cities before climaxing at Barclaycard Center in Madrid, home of the 2015 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four. Barclaycard Center – the home court of Real Madrid– has seen much elite-level basketball in recent years, including the 2008 Euroleague Final Four. Fans there have witnessed outstanding basketball atmosphere on Euroleague game nights, and the World Cup should be no different. The 24 teams are divided into four groups of six; opening-round action will take place in Gran Canaria, Seville, Granada and Bilbao. The best four teams will reach the eighthfinals. From then on, a loss will stop any team from reaching gold. One-off, do-or-die eighthfinals, quarterfinals and semifinals will take place in Barclaycard Arena in the Spanish capital and at Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, scene of the 2003 and 2011 Euroleague Final Fours. The gold-medal and bronze-medal games will be played in Madrid, revealing which national teams get to the podium and, of course, which walks away with the title. As usual, Euroleague Basketball teams are the most-represented at the event, with more than 70 players from the Turkish Airlines Euroleague and Eurocup on the final World Cup rosters. There are also three head coaches from Euroleague or the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Rounds teams working the sidelines at the World Cup. The stage is set for a unique tournament, with Euroleague and Eurocup stars playing big roles as they try to attain basketball glory.
Source
http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/140171/180
