The Qualifiers process to determine the 30 out of 32 teams that will participate at the FIBA 2023 Basketball World Cup has been established, with African qualifiers to be played in 4 groups, two east African countries in Group B.
Rwanda, the hosts of 2021 FIBA AfroBasket has been drawn in Group B with fellow East African mates South Sudan, Cameroon, and the giants, Tunisia. Both Rwanda and South Sudan were in 2021 AfroBasket Qualifiers Group D, where South Sudan won the first window game in Kigali before Rwanda overcome them in the second window game played in Monastir.
Uganda has been pitted in Group A alongside Nigeria, Cape Verde, and Mali. The Silverbacks found themselves in almost a similar group of 2019 World Cup Qualifiers as they were together with both Nigeria and Mali in Group B.
This draw has put Kenya in Group D with strong contenders in Senegal, Egypt, and DR Congo. Kenyans under the guidance of coach Liz Mills qualified for the FIBA Afrobasket 2021 for the first time in 28 years. Can The Morans continue to write sports history in Kenya?
FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers Draw Results:
The fixtures will be announced in due course with the first window games expected to be played between 20th and 30th November 2021.
The 2023 World Cup will be hosted by an Asian trio of countries; Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines hence they have automatic qualifications. However, Indonesia has not been guaranteed an automatic qualification by FIBA. It has to qualify for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup first and finish at least in eighth place.
This Basketball World Cup will serve as a qualification for the 2024 Olympic games, where the top two teams from each of the Americas and Europe, and the top team from each of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, will qualify alongside the tournament’s host France.
Spain is the defending champions of the Basketball World Cup, having beaten Argentine 95-75 in the 2019 Final.
The United States is by far the most successful country in FIBA Basketball World Cup, with USA men’s teams having won 5 titles. The record they shared with Yugoslavia, a country that broke up into six countries.
