Basketball World Championship 2006
| 2006 FIBA World Championship | |||||||||||||
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| 15th FIBA World Championship | |||||||||||||
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| Tournament details | |||||||||||||
| Host nation | Japan | ||||||||||||
| Dates | August 19 – September 3 | ||||||||||||
| Teams | 24 (from 212 federations) | ||||||||||||
| Venues | 5 (in 5 host cities) | ||||||||||||
| Champions |
 Spain (1st title)
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| MVP |
Pau Gasol
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| Tournament leaders | |||||||||||||
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| Official website | |||||||||||||
| 2006 FIBA World Championship | |||||||||||||
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The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Japan Basketball Association (JABBA) and the 2006 Organizing Committee.
For the first time since 1986, the World Championship was contested by 24 nations, eight more than in 2002. As a result, group rounds were conducted in four different cities, with the knockout rounds being hosted by Saitama City.
The tournament was won by Spain, who, in the championship final, beat Greece, 70–47, to finish the tournament having won all nine games played. For Spain, it was a record breaking performance at the FIBA World Championship and something the country had never seen before. It was the first time Spain had won Gold in the FIBA World Championship along with it being the first time Spain had won a medal at the FIBA world championship. Pau Gasol also became the first Spaniard to win the MVP award. It was the first time a country has won all nine of its games since 1994 when the United States won all nine games and took the gold medal home. The bronze medal was won by the United States, who defeated Argentina, 96–81, in the third place game. Up to 2014, including the 2014 tournament, it has been the only tournament where neither Yugoslavia or the USA have reached the final.
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