.png){kind=small}
The curtain has closed on an unforgettable edition of the IWBF U23 Men’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championship in São Paulo, Brazil, with Germany standing tall as the newly crowned champions. After nine days of thrilling action, fierce competition, and rising stars, the final standings for the 2025 championship have been confirmed.
Germany claimed their second U23 world title, their first since 2013, following a commanding performance throughout the tournament, capped by a decisive 79–45 victory over Türkiye in the gold medal game. Türkiye, runners-up once again after finishing second in 2021 and 2017, solidified their reputation as a consistent powerhouse on the global stage.
Great Britain bounced back from a semi-final loss to secure bronze, outlasting Australia in a high-energy third-place clash. The Brits added another podium finish to their U23 legacy, having won the championship in 2017 and medalled again in 2025.
The USA finished fifth, a spot higher than their 2021 ranking, while Italy achieved their best-ever result in U23 World Championship history with a sixth-place finish. Hosts Brazil edged Japan in a nail-biting 7th–8th place playoff to take seventh, an improvement on their 2021 and 2017 finishes.
Canada, Israel, South Africa, and Thailand rounded out the standings. Canada moved up one place to ninth, while Israel dropped from 7th in 2021 to 10th. South Africa improved on their previous 12th-place finish to claim 11th, while Thailand finished 12th, one place lower than in 2021.
Final Standings – 2025 IWBF U23 Men’s World Championship
- Germany
- Türkiye
- Great Britain
- Australia
- USA
- Italy
- Brazil
- Japan
- Canada
- Israel
- South Africa
- Thailand
Looking Back at U23 Championship History
This year’s results continue to reshape the landscape of junior international wheelchair basketball. Notably:
- Germany now joins the USA and Canada with multiple U23 titles, all with two a piece.
- Türkiye finish as runners-up for the third consecutive tournament.
- Italy’s sixth-place finish marks their highest-ever performance at a U23 World Championship, improving on their 10th-place finish in 2017.
- Brazil, hosting the tournament for the second time (first in 2001), secured a top-eight finish in front of an energetic home crowd.
The 2025 edition highlighted the growing depth and talent in wheelchair basketball across the globe. As focus shifts toward 2029, the results in São Paulo will help shape qualification paths, zonal allocations, and guide the next generation of athletes on their journey to the next World Championship.
Photo Credits: X-1/IWBF
#U23WBWC #IWBF #2025U23WBWC
