World Championship U17 (Serbia) 2025/26

The FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup is a biennial global tournament for national squads featuring players under seventeen. Established in 2010, the competition sits below the U18/U19 level in the FIBA youth hierarchy. It serves as the premier international event for this age group, distinct from continental U16 championships which function primarily as qualifiers. The tournament determines the best emerging talent before they progress to senior international basketball.

Sixteen national teams compete annually for the title. Qualification relies heavily on performance in preceding continental championships, including the AfroBasket, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, and EuroBasket. An automatic berth is reserved for the host nation, ensuring local representation in the main draw. The structure begins with a group stage comprising four pools of four teams. Advanced sides progress to a single-elimination knockout phase, culminating in a final match. Classification games determine rankings for teams eliminated earlier in the tournament.

The United States has dominated the competition since its inception. The American squad has won every edition held from 2010 through 2026, securing eight titles in total. This streak began with the inaugural tournament in Hamburg, Germany, and has continued through various host cities. The event expanded from twelve to sixteen teams in 2016, increasing the competitive field. A notable disruption occurred when the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the pandemic and subsequently rescheduled to 2022.

The tournament underwent a rebranding, changing its name from the "World Championship" to the "World Cup" to align with FIBA's global marketing strategy. While it is a newer event compared to the U19 World Cup founded in 1979, it holds significant prestige among young athletes. The competition focuses on development and global exposure rather than the historical legacy associated with older age categories. It remains the definitive international stage for under-17 basketball players worldwide.