France to host men's basketball World Cup in 2031. Japan gets 2030 women's tournament

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, right, stand with head coach Mitch Johnson after receiving his NBA Defensive Player of the Year trophy before Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

BERLIN — Victor Wembanyama will have a chance to play a home World Cup in 2031.

France was awarded the hosting rights to the 2031 men’s tournament by basketball’s governing body FIBA on Wednesday, with Japan getting the 2030 Women’s World Cup.

“Japan and France are both elite organizers of global scale events, having hosted the two most recent summer Olympic Games, in 2020 and 2024 respectively,” FIBA said.

Wembanyama was one of the main attractions of the Paris Olympics as the San Antonio Spurs star led France to a silver medal, scoring 26 points in the final against the United States.

The French cities of Lyon, Lille and Paris will organize the Aug. 29-Sept. 14 men’s tournament, with the final phase to be played in the capital.

FIBA said the 2030 women’s tournament will be held Nov. 26–Dec. 8 in the Japanese capital of Tokyo.

Japan’s women also won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Japan hosted the 2006 men’s world championship and was a co-host in 2023. France will organize the tournament for the first time.

The next women’s World Cup will be held in September in Berlin while the 2027 men’s World Cup will be hosted by Qatar.

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The Associated Press