2027 Basketball World Cup: Ivory Coast drawn with DR Congo and Senegal
FIBA held the draw on 13 May for the 2027 Basketball World Cup qualifiers, with the finals to be staged in Qatar
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The action promises to be box-office. With AfroBasket 2025 taking place in Angola in August and already throwing up some eye-catching fixtures, the qualifiers for the 2027 Basketball World Cup that follow it will be just as competitive. That is the main takeaway from the draw for the qualifying groups, held on Tuesday in Qatar, who will host the finals from 27 August to 12 September 2027.
FIBA World Cup global ambassador Carmelo Anthony, a guest for the occasion, did not go easy on anyone when drawing the groups for the African zone. All four groups are tough, none more so than Group B, where Ivory Coast, African runners-up, will face DR Congo, whom they will also meet again at AfroBasket, as well as Senegal and Madagascar.
Reigning African champions Tunisia have been handed a manageable Group C, with Rwanda and Guinea, but will have to contend with a Nigeria side determined to be among the frontrunners. In Group A, South Sudan start as favourites ahead of Cameroon, Cape Verde and Libya, while Angola, Egypt, Mali and Uganda will meet in Group D. The first goal for all these nations, before they set their sights on qualifying for the 2027 Basketball World Cup, is to finish among the top three teams in each group and so reach the 2nd round of qualifying, where they will make up Groups E and F.
The 2027 Basketball World Cup qualifying groups
Group A: Cameroon, South Sudan, Libya, Cape Verde
Group B: Senegal, DR Congo, Madagascar, Ivory Coast
Group C: Nigeria, Rwanda, Guinea, Tunisia
Group D: Mali, Angola, Uganda, Egypt