2006 FIBA World Championship 2006 FIBA World Championship The 2006 FIBA World Championship was the 15th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's teams. The tournament was hosted by Japan and held 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 cities, with the knockout rounds being hosted by Saitama City. The tournament was won by Spain,
National team appearances in the FIBA Basketball World Cup National team appearances in the FIBA Basketball World Cup National team appearances in the FIBA Basketball World Cup are the number of appearances that individual country's basketball national teams have made at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. A total of 58 countries have made, or will make, at least one appearance in the FIBA international senior men's basketball competition. African, European and teams from the Americas composed the first World Championship – Asian and Oceanian teams did not want to make a long trip to Argentina, the venue of the tournament. Egypt finished fifth in the inaugural world championship, the