Basketball Länderspiel - Deutschland vs. Frankreich

In the organizer's words:

Germany against France! World champions against Olympic silver medalists! German NBA stars Dennis Schröder, Franz and Moritz Wagner and Daniel Theis against NBA sensation Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier, plus numerous EuroLeague players, all in a great, atmospheric arena with around 19,000 guests... What more could a German (and international) basketball fan want? This beautiful idea is now coming true: on Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 6 p.m., the LANXESS arena in Cologne - the basketball temple of FIBA EuroBasket 2022 - will be ready for the clash between the two basketball heavyweights with Olympic medal ambitions: Germany and France.

Just a few weeks before the start of the Olympic Games, the game is an absolute basketball treat and highlight on the road to Paris 2024. The German 2023 world champions will be playing in Cologne's LANXESS arena for the first time since the legendary FIBA EuroBasket 2022, which set a new record for a EuroBasket group stage with 236,251 spectators. Test match opponent France was also in attendance at the time.

A very fond memory

Cologne looks back on one of the greatest days in German international basketball history: it's 1 September 2022, the EuroBasket Arena in Cologne is the venue for the first matchday of FIBA EuroBasket 2022. 38,000 spellbound eyes gaze eagerly into the big arena and experience two hours of unforgettable entertainment. First, the atmospheric jersey ceremony for Dirk Nowitzki, followed by the German team's opening game against France. The team of national coach Gordon Herbert embarked on a breathtaking journey to the bronze medal with a strong and acclaimed 76:63 victory.

This game was also the last encounter between the two nations to date. Now it's time for a real rematch at the same venue.

"Goosebumps already"

"I'm really looking forward to starting our preparations for the Olympic Games with such an outstanding match. It's a great opportunity for us as a team to play in Germany against a team as strong as France. It's also a very attractive opportunity for our fans to support us like they did at EuroBasket 2022 in Cologne.That was incredible, a fantastic atmosphere, and we're really looking forward to it again," said Head Coach Gordon Herbert.

"It will be a great start to our 2024 basketball summer. I'm already getting goosebumps when I think about returning to the unique atmosphere of the LANXESS arena and playing against one of the best teams in the world.It's sure to be another basketball festival," says Armin Andres, DBB Vice President for Competitive Sports.

Arena Managing Director Stefan Löcher adds: " When we think back to FIBA EuroBasket 2022, our hearts light up! Such a great, unique sporting event, the record number of spectators, Dirk Nowitzki's award ... What we created there hand in hand with the DBB and FIBA in the LANXESS arena was already truly world-class in 2022! Not only on the court, but also for the entire region, the tournament was a booster, also from an economic point of view! Now both the German and French teams are coming back to our beautiful cathedral city. So the setting is right, and now we're looking forward to this important test, so close to the Olympics."

68 official matches

The international match history of Germany and France consists of 68 official matches. No other country has played Germany more often. The record could still stand some improvement, as Germany's 24 victories contrast with 44 defeats (basket ratio 4,851:5,147).A German men's national team has played in Cologne eleven times so far, winning eight games.tickets for the international match are available from €19 in the DBB ticket store (by telephone on: 01806 997724 - €0.20 call from a German landline, max. €0.60 call from mobile networks) and in the LANXESS arena online store.

Source: German Basketball Federation