After the 2002 FIBA World Championship ushered in a new era of parity, FIBA made the decision to expand the 2006 tournament to 24 teams for the first time since the failed expansion in 1986. In announcing the expansion, FIBA cited the "increased level of basketball around the world and the increasing number of competitive teams at the highest level." FIBA also removed the second group stage; instead, the top four teams in each group of six would move on to a 16-team, single-elimination knockout stage. The host and Olympic champion received automatic berths, while six European teams, four Americas teams, three Asian teams, three African teams, and two Oceanian teams were given berths. Additionally, FIBA reserved four spots for wild-card invitations, which were later given to Serbia and Montenegro, Italy, Puerto Rico, and Turkey. Russia was notably absent for the first time since the Soviet Union began competing in 1959. A record 44 NBA players, signed to fifteen different teams, competed in the event.