Current season, competition or edition: 2016 FIBA Intercontinental Cup |
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Sport | Basketball |
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Founded | 1966 |
Inaugural season | 1966 |
Claim to fame | Official Club World Championship |
No. of teams | 2 |
Country | FIBA members |
Continent | Europe, North America & South America |
Most recent champion(s) |
Guaros de Lara (1st title) |
Most titles |
Real Madrid (5 titles) |
Level on pyramid | 1st tier - Worldwide |
Official website | FIBA Intercontinental 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.
The league champions of the NBA, which would be considered the top club from the North American zone, currently decline participation. Since the tournament began again with the 2013 edition, the tournament has been played in either an aggregate score two-legged series, or in a single-game final format, that determines the official world club champion.
Through 2015, the champions of Europe's top-tier level EuroLeague participated in the tournament. In 2016, the champions of Latin America's top-tier level FIBA Americas League, played against the champions of Europe's then 3rd-tier level FIBA Europe Cup (FIBA Europe Cup is currently the 4th-tier level European league). This was due to the 2015–16 FIBA–Euroleague Basketball controversy, which resulted in FIBA not allowing the EuroLeague champions (EuroLeague is Europe's top-tier level league), who would normally represent Europe in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, to participate in any FIBA sanctioned events.