The qualifiers for the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket, Africa’s premier men’s basketball competition, are scheduled for February and November next year.
The venues for these qualifiers will be disclosed at a later date.
The draw for the qualifiers, featuring 16 teams along with winners from pre-qualification tournaments, took place on November 24 in Johannesburg, South Africa, coinciding with the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Elite 16 East Division event.
The teams are divided into five groups of four, with South Sudan leading Group A, accompanied by Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, and the winner of the pre-qualifiers in Zone 6, Mauritius, and Comoros.
Group B is topped by Cape Verde, the fourth-place finisher in the 2021 AfroBasket, alongside Nigeria, Uganda, and the winner of the pre-qualifiers from Zone 1 and 2.
Group C features 2021 bronze medalists Senegal, facing off against Cameroon (the last-place finisher in the previous edition), Rwanda, and the winner of the Zone 3 and 4 pre-qualification tournament.
Reigning silver medalists Cote D’Ivoire headline Group D, joined by Zone 5 powerhouses Egypt, Central Africa Republic, and the winner of the pre-qualifiers from Zone 5, which includes Madagascar and Djibouti. Title holders Tunisia are in Group E alongside Angola (fifth place in 2021), Guinea, and Kenya.
The action in the February 2024 window will see Groups D, B, and E in play, while Groups C and A will have their matches in the November 2024 window.
Ruben Boumtje Boumtje, Basketball Africa League’s Head of League Operations, and Julien Farran, FIBA Africa’s head of competitions, conducted the draw.
Boumtje Boumtje expressed excitement about the matchups, anticipating competitive games in the qualifiers.
He emphasized the impact of BAL on elevating the level of play in Africa, with foreign-based players’ increased interest in playing on the continent influencing national teams positively. T
he former NBA player highlighted BAL’s role in improving the quality of basketball, aiming for a higher standard in the upcoming AfroBasket.
The 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers produced the following results;
Group A-South Sudan, DRC, Mali, Q z6, Mauritius, Comoros
Group B-Cape Verde, Nigeria, Q z1 + z2, Uganda
Group C-Senegal, Cameroon, Q z3 +z4 , Rwanda
Group D-Cote D’Ivore, Egypt, Central Africa Republic, Q z5 +Madagascar + Djibouti
Group E-Tunisia, Angola, Guinea, Kenya
