The 2014 Basketball World Cup in Madrid!

Pau Gasol: the face of basketball!

Whether you’re a sports lover or just looking for something to do this weekend, the Basketball World Cup is starting in a matter of days, and will soon be arriving in Madrid! The final eight teams will be competing in Madrid; starting on the weekend of 6th September, and the atmosphere is guaranteed to be incredible! If you’ve been to Sol recently, you might have seen the big countdown sign to the start of the World Cup…

Read on to find out more about the stages of the Basketball World Cup, as well as our advice on the best way to get tickets. This is genuinely a once in a lifetime opportunity: the Basketball World Cup only happens every four years, and this is the first time it has ever taken place in Spain! Tickets are cheap, and this event is right on your doorstep, menaing there's really no excuse not to watch some of the best players in the whole world!

 

How does the Basketball World Cup work? 

 

  Spain have been counting down
 to the Basketball world cup
for over a year!

Similarly to the Football World Cup, countries start off in groups, and the top two countries from each group qualify to the next round. What makes the Basketball World Cup different is that each stage of the competition takes place in a different part of Spain! You can see the schedule for the entire tournament online. Arguably the most exciting part of the competition (the final 8, the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final) are taking place in Madrid. The matches for the top 8 commence this weekend, (6th and 7th September).
The quarter-finals will take place on 10th September, the semis on 12th, and the grand final (as well as the match to decide 3rd and 4th place), will take place on 14th September. 

 

 

 How do I buy tickets for the Basketball World Cup?

 

 

The 2010 Basketball
 World Cup Champions: 
the USA! 

Amazingly, there are still some tickets available for the Madrid part of the Basketball World Cup, but you’ll need to be quick, as they are selling out fast! You can easily buy them online.  Tickets are reasonably priced, starting from around 30€, and although tickets for the final and third place playoff have sold out, tickets for most other stages are still available. This will be an incredible event, with thousands of people coming to cheer on their favourite players from all around the world! Spain have been planning for this for years, and the build up alone has been fantastic.

 

 

 

Where are the Madrid Basketball World Cup games taking place? 

 

Getting to the Palacio de Deportes from our school couldn´t be easier!

The Madrid games are taking place in the Salamanca district, at the Palacio de los Deportes de Madrid. The nearest Metro stations are Goya (lines 2 and 4), and O’Donnell (line 6). This is just a 10 minute walk from our school, meaning you really have no excuse not to go and experience this once in a lifetime opportunity! Some of the most famous players from all over the world will be there, including James Harden, Derrick Rose, Pau Gasol, his brother Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka and Ricky Rubio, making this Basketball World Cup totally unmissable. 

The atmosphere both in and
 outside of the stadium is sure
to be fantastic!

Have you already got tickets? Which game are you most excited to watch? The USA are the current champions, will they retain their place, or will Spain (or another country?!) take it away from them? Who are you rooting for this year? Enjoy the Basketball World Cup, and even if you don’t manage to get tickets, make sure you find the time to watch a game or two on TV or in one of Madrid's fantastic bars!