FIBA International Christmas Tournament[1] also known as the Christmas Tournament (Torneo de Navidad) was a men's basketball international friendly competition at the club level (and in some editions with national teams), organized by FIBA at its first decades through the Commission of International Organizations under the hand of Raimundo Saporta, club director and president of the International Commission of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), and with the authorization and support of R. William Jones, its general secretary, so it had the officiality of FIBA in its first decades of life,[2] being also the starting point of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, whose first edition appears in the history of this competition.

[citation needed] The competition was held for the first time in January 1966 with the name of FIBA Intercontinental Cup on the occasion of the inauguration of the new basketball venue of Real Madrid, the Pabellón de la Ciudad Deportiva (later called the "Raimundo Saporta Pavilion").

[5][3] That is, FIBA organized, Philips put the money and Real Madrid yielded the field, with the approval and consent of the FEB.[6] As of 1981, Real Madrid, with the sponsorship of the English Court (until 1989, subsequently replacing other sponsors), managed the tournament, although their relations with FIBA continued.

[2] Despite the tournament's perceived importance at the time, it is considered nowadays a friendly competition, although the prestige of the twelve silver medals of the winner for the contenders was maximum, since until 1980 it had the official status and the protection of FIBA.

However, the first edition of the International Christmas Tournament made the FIBA Intercontinental Basketball Cup officially emerge, a competition that "merengues" would go on to win four times.