International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has picked China as the host of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the first time that China will host FIBA’s flagship event.

During the Host Announcement Ceremony on Friday in Tokyo Japan, FIBA announced that China won the bid to host the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, beating the Philippines.

China and the Philippines, the two finalists who submitted their bids, each gave presentations during the ceremony. The board voted 14 in favor of China’s bid, with 7 backing the Philippines.

Yao Ming, the Ambassador for the China 2019  and who played at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said that this would help China to inspire more young athletes to pick up basketball.