The bidding war for the hosting rights for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup is heating up, as China and the Philippines step up their campaign to host the huge basketball event.

FIBA is scheduled to announce the host of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup on Friday after trimming the list down to the two Asian countries.

The Philippines, who hosted the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships, is aiming to host the world championships for the first time since 1978. Basketball Federation of the Philippines President Manuel Pangilinan knows they are going up against a powerhouse nation, but he is confident in their bid to host the event.

"We are hugely excited by the opportunities the Philippines 2019 bid offers our country and, vitally, the sport of basketball around the world," Pangilinan told FIBA.com. "We believe we are presenting FIBA with a passionate, innovative and game changing vision from a country on the move."

Pangilinan also added that the Philippines is capable of providing a quantum leap from the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup because of the passionate basketball fans in the country. The Philippines took the Most Valuable Fan Best Country Award from FIBA last year.

During a sendoff event on Monday in the Philippines, former national team captain Jimmy Alapag, who now serves as an assistant coach, said they want FIBA and basketball fans around the world to feel how Filipinos love the game. Basketball is considered the No. 1 sport in the country.

"That's what I want FIBA to experience. To feel that passion and love for the game that runs deep in all of us," Alapag said via SPIN. "We are going up against the giant. But we have proven that giants can be taken down."

On the other hand, China, which has more facilities capable of hosting the event than the Philippines, is also going all out in a bid to host the event.

The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup is expected to be the biggest in the history of the event, for it will feature 32 participating countries. And for it to become the biggest and best tournament ever, Chinese officials believe it should take place on a big stage and in a huge market like China.

"With more matches and more host cities in 2019, the FIBA Basketball World Cup will be the biggest ever," the Chinese Basketball Association noted via FIBA.com. "To fully achieve this potential, the FIBA Basketball World Cup deserves the biggest stage ever. The People's Republic of China and the Chinese Basketball Association will offer just that."