Cyprus, Finland and Latvia announced as EuroBasket 2025 hosts / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AFP PHOTO / OZAN KOSE- Scanpix Credit AFP PHOTO / OZAN KOSE- Scanpix

Latvia will host one group phase and the final phase of EuroBasket 2025, the FIBA Europe Board decided.

The president of FIBA Europe Turgay Demirel announced that the Baltic country will be the one of the three hosts of the group phase of the tournament, with Cyprus and Finland also winning their respective bids.

The country is no stranger to international events. Latvians have hosted 12 European championships of different age groups over the last fifteen years. The last time the European basketball championship was held in Latvia was in 2015. However, only a group competition was held in Riga.

The last time the European championship final was held in Latvia was in 1937.

Latvia, Hungary, Russia and Ukraine submitted bids for the Group Phase and also for the Final Phase of the event. Cyprus and Finland only placed bids to organize the Group phase.

For Cyprus, whose member of delegation is Panathinaikos OPAP Athens GM Dimitris Diamantidis, this was their first-ever attempt to host a FIBA event.

Finland was one of four countries that played host to the EuroBasket in 2017.

Hungary and Ukraine have also previously shown interest in organizing the event, but are yet to host Europe’s premium basketball event. The recent events in Ukraine didn't go unnoticed by FIBA Europe and their bid is still pending.

"After taking into consideration the difficult circumstances and challenges that the country is facing - and as an act of solidarity to the federation and the basketball community of Ukraine- the European Board has decided to continue exclusive discussions with the Ukrainian side for the hosting of the 4th group until November 2022.

At the same time, FIBA Europe will work on a possible back-up in case it's needed. We all want to show our solidarity to our friends in Ukraine," the Turkish exec said.

The 2022 EuroBasket will be held in September in Tbilisi (Sakartvelo), Prague (The Czech Republic), Milan (Italy), and Cologne (Germany), and the final matchups will take place in Berlin (Germany).

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