Africa's brightest younger basketball skills will converge in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, for the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket, which takes place on the Palais des Sports activities de Treichville from August 5 to 16.
Past the battle for continental supremacy, the match additionally gives a pathway to the 2027 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Czechia, with the finalists incomes Africa's two qualification spots.
ALSO READ: Rwanda positioned in Group C in U18 Afrobasket
Who’re competing?
Twelve nations, together with Rwanda, will compete within the match. The groups have been divided into three teams of 4.
Group A: Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Chad, Nigeria
Hosts Côte d'Ivoire might be aiming to enhance on their ninth-place end in 2024 however face stiff competitors from Nigeria, who impressed throughout the Zone 3 qualifiers.
Chad could also be thought of underdogs, however they boast one of many continent's most fun prospects in Ngaba Yaya, who averaged 24.2 factors per sport throughout the Zone 4 qualifiers.
File champions Egypt cruised via a lot of the Zone 5 qualifiers earlier than struggling a shock defeat to Rwanda within the remaining. That setback could have offered a well timed wake-up name as they search to reclaim the continental title.
Group B: Mali, Madagascar, Gabon, Morocco
Defending champions Mali enter the match as one of many favourites after successful three of the final 5 editions.
Famend for his or her measurement, athleticism and bodily type of play, the Malians might be challenged by Morocco, who reached the semi-finals in 2024, in addition to bettering Madagascar and Gabon.
Madagascar arrive in Abidjan filled with confidence after successful all 4 of their matches throughout the Zone 6 qualifiers.
Group C: Cameroon, Tunisia, Rwanda, Senegal
Group C is broadly thought to be the match's hardest pool.
Cameroon and Senegal each reached the rostrum on the earlier version, whereas Tunisia and Rwanda impressed throughout their respective zonal qualifying campaigns.
Rwanda head into the competitors with confidence after successful the Zone 5 Championship, the place they surprised Egypt within the remaining. The Junior Hoops demonstrated disciplined staff defence and affected person offensive play all through the match.
ALSO READ: Basketball: Rwanda U-18 staff topped Zone V champions
Senegal as soon as once more possess one of many tallest and most bodily imposing squads, making them a formidable power across the basket.
Cameroon, runners-up on their match debut in 2024, might be keen to construct on that spectacular achievement.
Competitors format
The 12 groups will compete in a single round-robin group stage.
The highest two groups from every group will qualify robotically for the quarter-finals, whereas the remaining two quarter-final spots might be awarded to the 2 greatest third-placed groups throughout the three teams.
The 4 groups that fail to succeed in the quarter-finals will contest classification matches for locations 9 to 12.
Quarter-final winners will advance to the semi-finals, whereas the defeated groups will play classification matches for fifth to eighth place.
The 2 semi-final winners will meet within the remaining, whereas the dropping groups will contest the bronze-medal match.
Opening day fixtures
The match ideas off on Wednesday, August 5, with 4 matches:
Madagascar vs Gabon – 10:00 GMT
Morocco vs Mali – 12:30 GMT
Egypt vs Nigeria – 15:00 GMT
Côte d'Ivoire vs Chad – 18:30 GMT
