ST. CATHARINES (FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2018) – The International Basketball Federation, Canada Basketball and the Niagara Sports Commission announced that the city of St. Catharines will host the 2018 edition of the FIBA U18 Americas Championship.

St. Catharines is known as a premier tourist destination synonymous with scenic beauty and sports excellence. The world-class Meridian Centre and Brock University will play host to the bi-annual event taking place June 10-16, 2018.

The FIBA U18 Americas Championship participating teams will be confirmed with the conclusion of the 2017 Centrobasket and South American U17 qualifying tournaments. USA and Canada have already qualified to the tournament as North American representatives.

“The FIBA U18 Americas Championship is one of the most exciting basketball events in our region as it puts a spotlight on the future stars of our sport and serves as an important international platform in their development process. We are happy to announce Canada as the host of its 2018 edition. Their commitment is proof of the attention to detail the federation has put into the growth of youth basketball not only in their national team program, but throughout the continent. We are more than confident that it will be a great and memorable event for the participants as well as for basketball fans everywhere.”, said FIBA Americas President Mr. Usie Richards.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting the 2018 FIBA U18 Americas Championship in St. Catharines. Bringing this event to Canada and specifically the Niagara Region allows us to showcase our nation as a world-class destination for international basketball events and for Canadians to see our talented up-and-coming stars compete on home soil,” said Michele O’Keefe, President & CEO, Canada Basketball.

“The FIBA technical legacy for hosting this event for athletes, coaches and officials will be incredibly beneficial to our continued alignment and domestic development,” concluded O’Keefe.

The seven-day tournament sees the top eight teams from the FIBA Americas zone vying for a top-three finish to qualify for the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup.

FIBA