MANILA—Cebu City's new prized sports and entertainment gem has been chosen as the battleground for the FIBA Women's Asia Cup.
FIBA and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officials announced on Wednesday that the soon-to-open SM Seaside Cebu Arena will be the main venue for the continental event happening from July 10-28, 2027.
“Philippines has hosted many FIBA competitions in Manila but now Filipinos get to introduce the rich culture of Cebu to players, team officials, FIBA delegates, and fans,” said FIBA Asia board member Al Panlilio.
The arena announcement came in line with the brand reveal for the FIBA Women's Asia Cup, which depicts what the entire Cebu province can offer.
“The logo features elements that Cebuanos take of a lot of pride in. From the beautiful beaches to the local fauna, and the friendly people, there is a lot to celebrate from the region, and we cannot wait to experience all these along with the grand stage being a prepared for our athletes,” added Panlilio, the former SBP president before Ricky Vargas took over.
SBP executive director Erika Dy sees the upcoming Cebu City hosting of the FIBA Women's Asia Cup as an opportunity to show how Gilas Pilipinas has grown into one of the rising forces in Asian women's basketball.
“Hosting the FIBA Women's Asia Cup in 2027 gives our Gilas Pilipinas Women program a tremendous opportunity to showcase how far we've come,” said Dy.
“Our focus has always been on developing a team that can compete consistently at the highest level in Asia, and having the tournament on home soil provides a platform for our players to inspire the next generation of Filipina basketball players.”
Gilas went on a new direction earlier this year by tapping Burke Toews to replace Patrick Aquino as head coach.
The domestic club basketball scene is also back on the radar thanks to the WMPBL, whose second season is coming to a close very soon with Batangas and Rizal disputing the championship again.
