The Lithuanian men’s basketball team should play the matches of the EuroBasket 2022 preliminary round in Cologne, Germany. FIBA should confirm this at its meeting on Friday. Today, the Lithuanian Basketball Federation and the German Basketball Association reached an agreement on cooperation and signed a formal agreement. Since 2015 FIBA has been offering the organizing associations of the preliminary round the opportunity to choose one team that will compete in that country. In 2017, Lithuania received such an invitation from Israel and played the preliminary round games in Tel Aviv.
Such a partnership seeks close cooperation and mutual benefit – to attract as many fans as possible, to increase ticket sales, to carry out other projects related to the championship and to strengthen the partnership between federations. If FIBA approves this agreement, it would mean that Lithuania would already know the first opponent in the EuroBasket 2022 – it would become the German national team, and Lithuanians would face them in the LANXESS arena in September next year.
“We are glad to have a close cooperation with the German basketball association and have reached an agreement. Both sides have found common ground, want to create a good event for the spectators and provide outstanding conditions for the teams. We believe that it will also be convenient and inexpensive for fans to go to Germany to support the national team, and looking positively at further possible games, since the final rounds of the European Championship will take place in Berlin. After the official confirmation, we will continue the preparations and inform the fans about the pending promotions and ticket sales”, – said LKF General secretary Mindaugas Špokas.
„We quickly agreed with our Lithuanian colleagues that a partnership in the EuroBasket preliminary round makes a lot of sense. Both sides would benefit from the cooperation and we are counting on FIBA to confirm our agreement on Friday,” said DBB General Secretary Wolfgang Brenscheidt.
The FIBA Europe Board meeting will take place this Friday, during which the agreements between the parties should be approved. The EuroBasket 2022 draw ceremony will take place on 29th of April this year.
