The 2023 FIBA World Cup final stage in Manila welcomes new faces and emerging powerhouse teams, as all four top contenders from the 2019 edition exit the FIBA World Cup 2023 quarterfinals with varying degrees of disappointment.

A new FIBA World Cup champion will be crowned in Manila on Sunday, September 10, following an exciting comeback by Canada that dethroned Spain in the 2023 tournament’s second round.

FIBA World Cup 2023 Quarterfinals: 2019 Top 4 Teams Eliminated

This recent result means that all four 2019 semifinalists – Spain, France, Australia, and Argentina – have been eliminated to varying degrees of disappointment.

After Spain’s exit, Australia, led by Luka Doncic’s Slovenia, eliminated the stacked Boomers with a convincing 91-80 victory.

Australia, like Spain, boasted NBA talent, including Josh Giddey, Patty Mills, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, and Matisse Thybulle.

However, these eliminations pale in comparison to France’s surprising performance in the group stage. France suffered a heavy 30-point loss to Canada in their first match before Latvia, known for defeating giants, stunned the 2024 Olympic host with an 88-86 victory.

Argentina, for the first time since 1982, failed to qualify for the World Cup. Even with NBA players Leandro Bolmaro and Facundo Campazzo, they were unable to progress beyond the qualifying stages.

Today, new faces from traditional basketball powerhouses lead the World Cup contenders. NBA All-Stars Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now carry significant responsibilities for the USA and Canada, respectively.

Slovenia, which failed to qualify in 2019, is making a strong push in 2023, led by young superstar Luka Doncic, who is considered an early NBA MVP candidate.

Remarkably, Latvia, despite missing their injured top star Kristaps Porzingis, is on a surprising path to gold medal contention. The Latvians, led by NBA players Davis Bertans and Rodions Kurucs, have demonstrated their ability to defeat formidable opponents like France and Spain.

Starting on Wednesday, September 6, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, the path to World Cup gold remains wide open for these four teams, alongside traditional powerhouses Serbia, Germany, Lithuania, and Italy.

Both the USA and Canada have shown they are not invincible, with respective losses to Lithuania and Brazil.

Slovenia and Latvia have illustrated that inexperience on the big stage is not insurmountable when supported by solid day-to-day game plans and an unwavering belief in victory.

As the tournament progresses into the final stage, no outcomes are guaranteed, except for the excitement that fans can expect from world-class basketball.