An Opening Game with 80,000 Spectators for EuroBasket 2029 in Madrid?

The city of Madrid officially presented EuroBasket 2029 at a media event held at the Casa de Postas, near the Puerta del Sol. The ceremony brought together many Spanish basketball celebrities, including Rudy Fernández, head coach Chus Mateo, Felipe Reyes, Sergio Rodríguez, and the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

Elisa Aguilar, president of the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB), opened the event by highlighting the historic significance of this choice.

🇪🇸 Estamos en el Acto de Presentación del Eurobasket 2029 en Madrid

Elisa Aguilar, Chus Mateo, Rudy Fernández, Sergio Rodríguez, la presidenta Díaz Ayuso…

Confirmado que el partido inaugural será en el Bernabéu, algo nunca antes visto en FIBA pic.twitter.com/mVUAGMB2Nz

— Javier Molero (@JavierMoleroo) April 21, 2026

A Revolutionary Tournament at the Santiago Bernabéu

The FEB president revealed spectacular details about the tournament’s organization:

« There will be an opening game with 80,000 people, something never seen before in FIBA competition. This will help basketball turn the page and take its rightful place. It’s an approximate budget of 25 million euros, with a roadmap through 2029 to expand beyond the court. »

Rudy Fernández, a legend of Spanish basketball, expressed his enthusiasm for this unique event:

« Playing at the Bernabéu is every athlete’s dream. Thank you to the Community and the Federation for making it possible. There is a lot of work to be done, but every basketball fan needs to mark this date on their calendar because it will be historic. »

The new national head coach, Chus Mateo, spoke about the responsibility resting on the Spanish team:

« We have a responsibility, because the eyes of the (basketball) world will be on Spain. We are going to try our best to represent Spanish basketball at the level it deserves. »

🗣️ »Se va a ver algo histórico en Madrid »

🏀El ex jugador del @RMBaloncesto , @rudy5fernandez , habla así del partido inaugural del #Eurobasket2029 que se disputará en el Estadio Bernabéu ante 80.000 personas pic.twitter.com/74z1s8aEPo

— RNE Deportes (@RNEdeportes) April 21, 2026

Madrid at the Center of World Basketball

Isabel Díaz Ayuso concluded the presentation by emphasizing the scale of the event: « We are going to be the home of the best of European basketball. The Euro will start here, and we will be at the center of attention, hosting the final phase and the grand final at the Movistar Arena. »

The president also revealed exceptional audience projections: « The projections for Madrid 2029 are enormous. We estimate the tournament will be watched by more than 300 million people. This allows everyone to see what is happening in Madrid. »

EuroBasket 2029 looks set to be a revolutionary tournament that will mark the history of European basketball, six years after the record attendance game in the Philippines (over 38,000 spectators at the 2023 World Cup).

EuroBasket 2029: Dates, Format and Host Countries

The 43rd edition of EuroBasket, organized by FIBA Europe, will be held in the summer of 2029, continuing the tradition of recent editions held across multiple venues.

Host Countries

• Estonia
• Greece
• Slovenia
• Spain

Format

• 24 participating teams
• 5 venues across 4 host cities
• Final phase scheduled in Madrid

Following in the footsteps of the 2015, 2017, 2022 and 2025 editions, the competition will once again be spread across several countries, with a centralized final phase in Spain. Germany will defend its title.