For the international basketball tournament named to William Jones, see
William Jones Cup.
The FIBA Intercontinental Cup, commonly referred to as the FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs, or the FIBA Club World Cup, is a professional basketball competition endorsed by FIBA, FIBA Americas and Euroleague Basketball Company. Historically, its purpose has been to gather the premier basketball clubs from each of the world's geographical zones, and to officially decide the best club of the world, which is officially crowned as the world club champion. The World Cup for Clubs has been contended mainly by the champions of the continents and/or world geographical regions that are of the highest basketball levels.
Currently, the champions of the FIBA Americas League play against the champions of the Euroleague, in an aggregate score two-legged series that determines the official world club champion. The league champions of the NBA, which would be considered the top club from the North American zone, currently decline participation.
FIBA announced plans to expand the tournament to include the champion teams from the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup, the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, the NBL (FIBA Oceania), and possibly the NBA in the future.[1][2]
History
The FIBA Intercontinental Cup competition was originally organized between the years 1966 and 1987. The tournament had its origins with a friendly test game in São Paulo in 1965. The test game was contested by the South American Club Championship champions Corinthians, and the FIBA European Champions Cup champions, Real Madrid. Corinthians won the test game by a score of 118 to 109. After the success of the test tournament, the first official tournament took place in the year 1966.[3]
In 1973, the competition adopted the name FIBA Intercontinental Cup William Jones, to honor the secretary general of FIBA, William Jones. FIBA tried to rebirth the competition in 1996, by reorganizing the Intercontinental Cup into a best-of-three playoff tournament between the winners of the Euroleague and the winners of the South American League (the champions of all of South America). After that tournament however, the competition was succeeded by the McDonald's Championship, which preexisted and included NBA clubs. The McDonald's Championship however, was not an official tournament like the Intercontinental Cup.
In August 2013, an agreement reached between Euroleague Basketball Company, FIBA Americas, and FIBA, allowed for the World Cup for Champion Clubs to be relaunched, and to be played between the Euroleague champion and the FIBA Americas League champion.[4][5] Later in 2013, it was announced that FIBA had plans to expand the tournament, adding the champion teams from the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup, the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, the NBL (FIBA Oceania), and possibly the NBA.[6][7]
Names of the competition
Part of the official logo with the current competition name
- FIBA Intercontinental Cup (or FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs): (1966–1980)
- FIBA Club World Cup: (1981)
- FIBA Intercontinental Cup (or FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs): (1982–1984)
- FIBA Club World Cup: (1985–1987)
- FIBA Intercontinental Cup (or FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs): (1996, 2013–present)
- Since 1973, the tournament has also been named in Honor of Renato William Jones, so the tournament's full official names would be either FIBA Intercontinental Cup "William Jones", or FIBA Club World Cup "William Jones".
- The tournament is also referred to as the FIBA Intercontinental Cup of Clubs, in order to avoid confusion with the 1972 FIBA Intercontinental Cup of National Teams.
Title holders
Finals
Titles by club
Titles by country
Top scorers of the decisive game
MVP awards
1972 special version
In 1972, FIBA held a 4 team tournament, featuring the Soviet Union national basketball team, the Polish national basketball team, the Brazilian national basketball team, and the NABL All-Stars Team, which participated in the place of Team USA. Although this tournament is not a part of the actual Club World Cup, it is still listed in the event's history as a special version of the tournament, while the actual club competition was on hiatus between the years of 1970 and 1973.[12]
References
External links
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| | FIBA Intercontinental Cup | |
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| | FIBA Club World Cup | |
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| | FIBA Intercontinental Cup of National Teams | |
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| | Current | |
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| | Former / proposed | |
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| | Related topics | |
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2015 FIBA Intercontinental Cup
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Varèse
Akron Wingfoots
Sírio
Obras Sanitarias
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Žalgiris
Panathinaikos
Brno
Bosna
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Real Madrid